As the last gurgling remnants of the slime withered away, Sera exhaled a sharp breath—not from relief, but from sheer tension.
It was Hastos who tore himself free from the ooze’s suffocating grasp, steam and slime trailing off him as he stumbled forward, fury in his eyes. He thrust a hand toward the flammable mass and unleashed a Firebolt that ignited it like dry pitch. The room flared in yellow-orange light as the disgusting creature shrieked and burst into ash.
Before that, the strange haregon—of all things—had appeared from deeper in the tunnel, just in time to send a jolt of lightning toward both the slime and Hastos. The result had been...underwhelming. The crackling energy fizzled harmlessly across the creature’s slick surface, barely singing its edges—and nearly zapping Hastos in the process.
Now, as the smoking remains of the pudding was just ash the floor, Sera stepped beside the slime-smeared warrior. She looked Hastos over with sharp eyes, brushing the worst of the muck from his shoulders.
“You okay?” she asked, her tone lower, quieter—for him alone. "you had me woried there a second..."
But then came the growling. From deeper ahead. Something else stirred in the corridor. They not have much time before next battle it sems.
And Sera turned sharply on the haregon who now stood among them, tiny sparks of ectricity dancing around from his earlier spell dancing around.
Her eyes narrowed. Her sun blade didn’t drop an inch.
“What in the name of Mishakal’s panty drawer and Thakisis' multicololored-ass scales are YOU supposed to be?” she snapped, incredulous. “Strolling through a cultist-infested graveyard and monster-filled sewer in the middle of the gods-damned night—by chance?”
She stepped closer to him acting protective of Hastos, her glowing blade crackling softly.
“You got three heartbeats to explain why we shouldn’t assume you’re just the next cursed thing to crawl outta these crypts and make us trust you”
At Ororanas statement about being weak to fire, Merkas nods, “Yeah, and cold for some reason, just didn’t want to it with anything like that until Haz was free, this thing has a way of making whoever it’s got covered up take half the damage it does”
“Wonder if it can regrow from what’s left here?” Merkas goes about to scrape up some of the goo on one of the pilfered daggers.(survival - 8 for collecting some slime) “Anyone got a bottle or something?” He asks the group before stopping and looking toward the sound of scraping and growling. “Aww man; Well at least it aint more of these slime guys” Looking over the intersection he ponders the crank wheel and corridors. (Insight - 5 hints on how the various impliments may nbe connected)
The kender moves over to see down the next hall. Seras blade swings over his head as she turns on the Deer headed lightning flinger. “Woah, woah, Sera, first watch out for my hair and second, maybe just ask who they are instead of calling down the entire godhead!” Then looking at N’haredowell, “But she has a point, you showed up and hurt our friend, intentionally or not, you need to tells us”
The presence of Sera's Sun Blade in the oppressive darkness of the waterway reveals shadows of an approaching humanoid figure, dragging its feet clumsily towards the bend of the waterway.
Your conversation echoes along the narrow stone walls and the growling, hissing sounds become more excited. The sounds of tattered boots scraping along the ground forbode imminent threat.
Sera, Ororana, and Hastos can see the following...
At the bend of the waterway, a dessicated humanoid approaches, wearing severely damaged scraps of Dragon Army armor. It's pale eyes turn towards you and it hisses. Shadows on the wall hint at a second humanoid creature behind it.
"Zombies?" Ororana hisses incredulously. "Ok... something I can actually fight."
Ororana rolls INT check and identifies the creature. Hastos knows the stat block of zombies automatically. Larskolstad, your INT penalty prevents you from automatically knowing the stat block. However, since you've been told what it is, I'll allow you to roll with Advantage to see if you remember being taught about them during your training. The DC is 2... so...
We are not yet in Initiative. Ororana's voice was too soft to make out details around the bend, but her tense whispers indicate danger. You are all welcome to ready actions.
“You okay?” she asked, her tone lower, quieter—for him alone. "you had me woried there a second..."
Hastos gives Sera a thumbs up and a wink. “Better now.” He says flatly. Clearly he’s still preoccupied with clearing the slime from his face and head orifices.
Zombies?" Ororana hisses incredulously. "Ok... something I can actually fight."
Hastos, still crouched, motions forward with his hand. “You two have fun.” He gives a half hearted chuckle.
Sharn approached Hastos and patted as far up his back as he could.
"I hope the taste of that muck doesn't linger."
Then he turned to regard the rabbit person. Sera had it under control, but he couldn't stop himself from interjecting. "You know, if I had a steel for every time I saw a rabbit person on the same night, I would have two. Which is not much, but it's weird that it happened twice in one night."
Nare watches on while his attempts to zap the creature do little more than make it writhe as it shares the pain with the host inside of it. He bobbed his head a little closer to see that the entrapped creature was some sort of elf with symbols of the Dragon Army on his armor. Silently, he looks up and down the group, squinting. A dwarf, a human, a kender. These weren't the usual lot that the army would recruit, especially not the paladin with her holy symbols-
Seemingly caught off guard, one of them freezes. Nare's head swivels towards the small kender's gawking. Below the helmet, a small smile spread across his face, and he wrapped himself in his cloak further and stood up straighter. His ears turn upward when he sees the bits of sand go from sediment to ants. The shadows that surrounded him rippled at the familiarity and the smile spread even bigger. A fellow sorcerer. Kindred spirit. A kindred kender. How nice.
He too was about to say something before something else happened and he was cut off. The elf from before ripped himself free of his slimey bindings, squeaking through -'ow. damned my big ears' -before jumping to safety with a firebolt. The flames extinguish the creature in mere seconds. Nare stays still while his cloak was flung out behind him as some of his gauze flew loose. 'No!'
His toes curl as he refrains from itching. White patches of fur fell to the floor as the wind blew. Others sticking out between some of the gauze were grayish brown. His shoulders roll and nails dig into his palm, 'Don't scratch. Don't scratch. Don't scratch,' he tries to tell himself. The second he had a thought free from itch, he swings his hand over and pulls his cloak over his midsection, but it was too late. By looks on their faces, his big feet and fur gave him away. He was certain they haven't see him ears. They were tucked under the helmet.
"Excuse me sweetie... cute helmet!"
His ears flatten and he slouches. He is just 'baby' to them. Cute. A pet. If he had a steel...
The harengon tries to reign his pity over to the one spitting out slime guts, though at the sight of it, it makes him think what might else have been in that sludge... and what it is made of. Uncorking a bottle he saved earlier, he scoops some of the contents of the muck into it, not really sure of what to make of it ((Survival = 5)). He pinches some of the slime between his fingers just to test its consistency before opening his fingers again (watching the strings fall from his hand) and sealing it away.
The sudden sight of a sunlight in his eyes moves him from his stupor. He squints under his helmet. "Wha-?" When the blade comes at him, he stands up and backs away, hands up. He feels his shadows shudder. "Panty drawer?" He whispers. That caught him off guard. Not more so than the other one. "Graveyard?" He hasn't been in the graveyard since... well his own old team. When she comes closer, his hands jolt a bit to show he was still unarmed. Wait why were they getting upset?! He had been in sewers for two weeks! And they were coming at him like he invaded their home! He even made a cozy little nest here with some soft- no! No, no no! Not nest! 'You're too hare-brained. Bed! Home! Anything else!'
He closes his eyes and counts his own heartbeats, slow, barely a beat a minute, sometimes it ticks between every ten, but no, she wanted it much quicker than that. No, this was no time from dilly-dallying. 'Say something!'
"Uh, I was going to say the same thing you. You're in the sewers... by a graveyard... in the middle of the night. You could be, uh, grave-robbers, escaping? I guess?" Nare shrugs, "But from the looks of it, you're not- likely not- I mean look at you- well, though you can't always say for sure about these things. It's the book not the cover. Well, don't judge the book by its cover. I don't know. Um."He shuffles with his feet for a bit. Then he straightens his shoulders a bit. "Well, I was just here! YOU came into my home. I was just here... doing-"
Molting. He was molting. And the itches on his leg reminded him of that. But he didn't have to reveal that! Reveal something that personal. He doesn't know why he was getting so haughty, but the itches were going crazy!
"Whatever. And then suddenly I heard sounds! I came to check it out. And you all are here attacking that!"He points to the ashen remains of the slime.
"But she has a point, you showed up and hurt our friend, intentionally or not, you need to tells us.”
"Eh, uh. Oh." His shoulders sag. "I didn't mean to. I just- I just thought-"
"A second?"His head was all over the place. Keeping his hands up, he froze. 'Another. But how can that be- Perhaps.'A dry chuckle formed in his throat. His shadows lightly swirled beside him. Beneath the mask his eyes watered. Then came the call for danger. The shadows reeled back into him before he had a chance to comprehend it himself. "Where?" He absentmindedly steps away from the edge of Sera's sun blade.
Closing his eyes, he tries to get a sense of the danger.
((Religion: 18. He's trying to find if the creature has any religious connections or just whatever magical energies it might have))
((Insight = 15))
He doesn't want another fight. Not another thing to die. But seeing how the slime was, death might be the best thing for whatever is around the corner. He breathes out. Sera and her blade are afterimages in his mind. He has to prove himself. If someone attacks at the creature first then he will follow. Sparks start to light up in his hands again.
((Ready Sorcerous Burst for 3 + 6 = 9 :( for 5 + 1 = 6 lightning damage again))
The newcomer's explanation was—if one could even call it that—a whirlwind of nonsense and breathless madness. A tangle of words that spiraled in all directions without ever landing on meaning. Sera arched a brow and shot a look at the others, silently asking if they understood a word of it. If so, she hoped they’d deal with him—because she certainly wouldn’t.
“You talk nonsense,” she said plainly, her tone flat as a warhammer. “Hit me, and I hit back. Hard.”
Before more absurdity could unfold, Ororana’s warning sliced through the chaos like a blade: Zombies. Sera’s head snapped toward the corridor, the slow, shambling scrape of something foul echoing from the shadows.
Undead. Real ones.
Her training surged forward—lessons from temple libraries and stern paladins filling her mind. Animated corpses of once-living souls, puppets to evil, impossible to reason with. Slow, yes—but with a cruel habit of refusing to stay down. (insight 12)
“I can turn undead,” Sera said tightly, her voice calmer than she felt. “If it gets nasty.”
She looked to the radiant shimmer of her sunblade, the divine glow bright against the dark. It pulsed in her hand like it wanted to be used.
“…But this blade hurts undeads badly. My turn to earn some scratches,” she added, her voice a touch wry—though her knuckles were white on the hilt.
She ignored the haregon now. His strange spell gathering in his palm did nothing to ease her unease—if anything, it made things worse. Still, she hoped his madness leaned toward their side. It would be just her luck if it didn’t.
Sera raised her shield and took a deep breath. Then she rushed forward looking.
The first undead lurched into view—and the breath caught in her throat.
The thing was a mockery of life. Its rotting flesh clung to it. A dead dragonarmy soldier. The air grew colder around it. Sera felt it in her soul. This… this was wrong. A perversion of life. A walking insult to all that was good and clean in Krynn.
She swallowed hard—but didn’t stop.
“Paladine,” she whispered under her breath as the thing raised clawed fingers, “let me be your flame.”
Then her sword rose, its holy light searing through the darkness, and she was ready to strike down with all the righteous fury of the god she served. ( going up to form a front and will strike at the first zombie that walks close enough. Hit with shield for ac 21 and 8 dam then finish it with sunblade ac 15 for 15 radiant damage . Get on initative 20 then)
Sharn walked back up to the harengon. He didn't have to be perceptive to see that he was awkward and uncomfortable. He extended a welcoming hand in greeting. The cultists had been everything but diplomatic. Besides, it felt like he had found a kindred spirit, of sorts. One of the sewers, while he was of the dirt.
"Excuse us for intruding your home. We thought this was a catacomb of sorts. I see it's anything but. My name is Sharn. I hope you can understand Sera, it's been a long night."
His head dipped in disappointment upon hearing that there were zombies. What did he expect? Of course sad people would foster sad existences.
Sharn approached Hastos and patted as far up his back as he could. "I hope the taste of that muck doesn't linger."
Hastos smirked at Sharn. “Tastes better than that snake shit I tried at the Dwarf tonight.” Hastos returned the pat. “I appreciate you all trying to get me out of there...” He looks over at Merkas and raises his voice slightly “…except the damned ants!” The winks at Sharn.
“You know, if I had a steel for every time I saw a rabbit person on the same night, I would have two. Which is not much, but it's weird that it happened twice in one night."
Merkas spends some time scraping some of the slime into an empty perfume bottle he had acquired during the night’s festivities until Sharns comments makes him look up “Rabbit?!” Merkas stares at Sharn, confused “They’re clearly an ancient magus of some kind. I heard about one that had a moose skull, I wonder,is the size of antler an indication of age or power level?” Turning back to Nare and gives a slight bow “It is a great honour to have such an old one with us, perhaps you could help alleviate our trepidation by telling us the name by which you wish to be known. I am Merkas Yabba…”
“I can turn undead,” Sera said tightly, her voice calmer than she felt. “If it gets nasty.”
“Undead” Merkas turns at Sera’s mention of the undead and promptly scampers over to get a look “What kind? The flesh monster stuck together from many others, or the fast wall climbers, can’t be skeletons, not enough rattling, or the see through ghost type cause they usually go through walls” Getting up on his toes to try and see past the hunched Hastos.
He looks over at Merkas and raises his voice slightly “…except the damned ants!” The winks at Sharn.
The kender jumps back from Hastos looking around the ground and his legs “Ants, where?! I hate ants. You’d think they would avoid a stone place, I don’t have any on me do I?
Sera watch the zombies staggering closer...the red fist, symbol of Sargonnas etched into their foreheads...and did she not bring along one of the defeated cultists symbol to sell? Reaching into her pocket...she pulls it out...( get 20 on hindsight )
The zombies round the bend, hissing and groaning, but when they approach Sera's upraised holy symbol of Sargonnas, their attention shifts from Sera to the rest of the party as if Sera and her deadly radiant weapon wasn't even there.
Larskolstad, I know Sera has morals about combating those who can't fight. Sera can tell that, while she's perfectly safe, the rest of the party is in imminent threat of attack. The zombies are now in Sera's line of sight and attack range. Do you wish to use your readied action? Not that you need it, but while weilding the holy symbol of Sargonnas, you can attack the zombies as if they are Incapacitated, but only towards you. They will make no actions, moves, reactions, or bonus actions towards you. It will be like attacking a practice dummy.
Sera slams the nearest zombie hard in the chest, blasting a huge cavern into it and shaterring its ribcage. It makes no sound or attempt to retaliate, but continues to glare hatefully at Merkas. Then, the sword plunges into its heart, briefly dousing the room in darkness. The radiant energy responds to the negative energy inside the zombie, and it begins to glow through its open wound and orifices. Then, scorching light cooks through the zombie, which slowly breaks apart into a pile of ash and bones on the ground. Amidst the pile of dust, you see a sparkling gemstone that appears to be a diamond.
Those who rolled above a 7 for their check to know the stat block of the zombie may read on...
The diamond worked as a magical component to keep the zombie trapped in these sewer tunnels. Though it has value as a regular diamond, it may have latent magical qualities that could be of use, or of high value to interested parties like Duncan or Buckeran.
The bones of a zombie are alchemical components for Necromancy. Weapons, armor, amulets, and other non-consumable items can be imfused with these bone fragments to imbue magical properties into it. Their power is limited, but there could indeed be power taken from it if you wish to use it.
Another zombie, shuffling forward behind it peers around the bend, seemingly uninterested in Sera, but hungrily hisses at Merkas, but Ororana doesn't waste another second! Growling a savage battle cry, she hoists her greataxe high and chops downward! The axe rips through the rotten flesh, tearing the pathetic husk in half diagonally, in much the same way Cult Fanatic Red was cut. The top half of the zombie rebounds off the sewer wall and lands on the ground, unmoving.
Ororana squeals and hops up and down, as if ready for something to happen. After several unimpressive moments, she looks at her hands with obvious disappointment. "Huh... guess it doesn't work with the undead." Frustrated, she kicks the motionless legs of the dismembered zombie, so that it crumples to the ground. With the rest of the hall silent and free of threats, she huffs and turns around. "Ooh! A diamond! I can get us a good price for that at the blacksmith's! What do you say, Sera? We did all the work for this battle. 60-40?" She seems to be implying that the 60% goes to her as she kneels down to pick it up.
Readied actions were enough for this encounter. No initiative needed. 😅 The party gets 150 XP each, except Hastos, who omitted himself from the encounter. You've found a diamond. (There's probably a diamond somewhere in the other zombie too.) You've found zombie bones.
Hastos watches as Sera and Ororana make short work of the zombies. He stands up and walks over to look at the remains, flinging his hands to rid himself of the remainder of the slime.
”They didn’t stand a chance.” He says as he looks down on the corpse’s corpses.
"aww, it's just the slow shambling kind. They're no fun." Looking over the armour again, Merkas notes the dragon legion emblems"Hey Ory? Any of these guys look familiar to you? Maybe they were a couple of your contracts? (Investigation - 6 checking over the bodies for anything of value, Int - 5 no luck on remembering anything other than "zombie bad")
The kender collects some fingers from the severed zombie as he waits for Ororana's response and sets them in a mason jar he had from the Dancing Dwarfs Kitchen."Gramma did such good work on Sharn's knuckles I bet we can build something pretty cool with these too! Were you waiting for something special to happen Ory? Seemed like you expected your axe to cause flames or explosions or something, Maybe shoot out rainbows?"
Sera stood over the rotted heap that had once been a person—someone. Someone who may have had family, dreams, memories. Maybe good, maybe not. It wasn’t her place to judge. But still… they had been alive once. And now this—reduced to a puppet of filth and darkness.
Merkas crouched nearby, plucking a fingerbone from the remains like it was just another component for his pouch. Sera watched in silence, a faint crease forming between her brows. She didn’t speak—not yet. Her face, though calm, couldn't quite hide the shadow of quiet disappointment.
She raised her silver symbol of Paladine and closed her eyes. Her voice came soft—more whispered prayer than command:
“May you finally rest in peace. May your soul find relief, and joy among your loved ones in the afterlife… never again pulled into such grotesque service.”
Then, with a motion of her hand, sacred flame poured from above—pure radiant fire crackling down upon the remains. One by one, the pieces were reduced to ash, clean and untainted by corruption.
She lingered a breath longer, eyes downcast, before turning away.
Merkas still held the bone.
She didn’t scold him. Not aloud. Her silence said enough.
She turned to Ororana, her voice quieter than before, but no less certain. “I can use diamonds as components… to bring someone back. A fallen friend. Or anyone… who should return to real life.” She paused, letting the weight of the words settle. “Use the diamond wisely.”
It sounded so much like another lecture, another line that painted her as the group’s moral compass. Sera knew it. Felt the wear of it. She sighed softly—tired not of doing what was right, but of always being seen as the one who must.
Still, she didn’t take the words back.
Some truths needed to be said, even if they cost her.
Hastos puts his hand on Sera’s shoulder. “Well done. They’ve moved on to the next plane.” He says softly, noticing the troubled look on Seras face. “This is good work. Unpleasant, but good.”
Hastos squeezes Sera’s shoulder gently and backs away to give her whatever space she needs. “We should probably get to know our… new friend.”
"aww, it's just the slow shambling kind. They're no fun." Looking over the armour again, Merkas notes the dragon legion emblems"Hey Ory? Any of these guys look familiar to you? Maybe they were a couple of your contracts? (Investigation - 6 checking over the bodies for anything of value, Int - 5 no luck on remembering anything other than "zombie bad")
The kender collects some fingers from the severed zombie as he waits for Ororana's response and sets them in a mason jar he had from the Dancing Dwarfs Kitchen."Gramma did such good work on Sharn's knuckles I bet we can build something pretty cool with these too! Were you waiting for something special to happen Ory? Seemed like you expected your axe to cause flames or explosions or something, Maybe shoot out rainbows?"
Ororana shakes her head. Her wild mane of curly hair flops around with the motion. "Sweeite, if they were my bounties, they wouldn't have their heads attached. The dragon armies number in the 100s of thousands. These two were just foot soldiers in the war. From their armor, I'd say they were frontline fodder. The Hachakee perfrom raids and skirmishes along the Khur borders and mountains to slow the advance of the armies. My guess is these are fallen sodiers from one of those missions."
She turned to Ororana, her voice quieter than before, but no less certain. “I can use diamonds as components… to bring someone back. A fallen friend. Or anyone… who should return to real life.” She paused, letting the weight of the words settle. “Use the diamond wisely.”
Ororana scoops up the diamond, but takes a moment to look at you with a sad kind of innocence. "Sera... I'm not sure who would want to come back into this world. I fight because I am alive, and others can benefit from my skills. But when I die, my work will be done. I fully intend to stay dead. Not even a hundred of these things could bring me back into this..." she gestures vagely around her "hell we're living in. But still, if it's that important to you, keep it. Just make sure you bring back someone who actually wants to be brought back." Loathe to let go of wealth after she already exhausted half her potions in this adventure, she tentatively places the diamond in your hand and curls your fingers around it. Her eyes turn up from your closed fist, and meet your eyes with a sudden seriousness you wouldn't expect from her. She almost seems to be judging Sera. It's clear that she has a past with religion, and it shows in her generally irreverent behavior. But Sera has just stumbled on something sacred for Ororana... the right and privilage to be free of this world after serving their role with honor and ferocity.
Hastos puts his hand on Sera’s shoulder. “Well done. They’ve moved on to the next plane.” He says softly, noticing the troubled look on Seras face. “This is good work. Unpleasant, but good.”
Hastos squeezes Sera’s shoulder gently and backs away to give her whatever space she needs. “We should probably get to know our… new friend.”
Ororana, follows Hastos's signal to get to know the strange new lightning user. "Good idea. But maybe we can walk and talk? Our target gets further away with each delay, and eventually someone is going to notice a pile of trussed up bodies in that mauseleum. Judging by the fact that my potions have worn off, I'd say we headed down here about 10 minutes ago. And the party was ending before we went below. That's more than enough time for these cultists to have started formulating a defence and set more traps."
“Agreed.” Hastos says as he lofts his shield and takes point. He takes a moment to turn back to the harengon. “I am Hastos. Please do not electrocute me again.” And with that, he pushes forward again, keeping an eye out for additional traps.(Investigation: 11)
As the last gurgling remnants of the slime withered away, Sera exhaled a sharp breath—not from relief, but from sheer tension.
It was Hastos who tore himself free from the ooze’s suffocating grasp, steam and slime trailing off him as he stumbled forward, fury in his eyes. He thrust a hand toward the flammable mass and unleashed a Firebolt that ignited it like dry pitch. The room flared in yellow-orange light as the disgusting creature shrieked and burst into ash.
Before that, the strange haregon—of all things—had appeared from deeper in the tunnel, just in time to send a jolt of lightning toward both the slime and Hastos. The result had been...underwhelming. The crackling energy fizzled harmlessly across the creature’s slick surface, barely singing its edges—and nearly zapping Hastos in the process.
Now, as the smoking remains of the pudding was just ash the floor, Sera stepped beside the slime-smeared warrior. She looked Hastos over with sharp eyes, brushing the worst of the muck from his shoulders.
“You okay?” she asked, her tone lower, quieter—for him alone. "you had me woried there a second..."
But then came the growling. From deeper ahead. Something else stirred in the corridor. They not have much time before next battle it sems.
And Sera turned sharply on the haregon who now stood among them, tiny sparks of ectricity dancing around from his earlier spell dancing around.
Her eyes narrowed. Her sun blade didn’t drop an inch.
“What in the name of Mishakal’s panty drawer and Thakisis' multicololored-ass scales are YOU supposed to be?” she snapped, incredulous. “Strolling through a cultist-infested graveyard and monster-filled sewer in the middle of the gods-damned night—by chance?”
She stepped closer to him acting protective of Hastos, her glowing blade crackling softly.
“You got three heartbeats to explain why we shouldn’t assume you’re just the next cursed thing to crawl outta these crypts and make us trust you”
At Ororanas statement about being weak to fire, Merkas nods, “Yeah, and cold for some reason, just didn’t want to it with anything like that until Haz was free, this thing has a way of making whoever it’s got covered up take half the damage it does”
“Wonder if it can regrow from what’s left here?” Merkas goes about to scrape up some of the goo on one of the pilfered daggers.(survival - 8 for collecting some slime) “Anyone got a bottle or something?” He asks the group before stopping and looking toward the sound of scraping and growling. “Aww man; Well at least it aint more of these slime guys” Looking over the intersection he ponders the crank wheel and corridors. (Insight - 5 hints on how the various impliments may nbe connected)
The kender moves over to see down the next hall. Seras blade swings over his head as she turns on the Deer headed lightning flinger. “Woah, woah, Sera, first watch out for my hair and second, maybe just ask who they are instead of calling down the entire godhead!” Then looking at N’haredowell, “But she has a point, you showed up and hurt our friend, intentionally or not, you need to tells us”
Loyalty Begets Honour
The presence of Sera's Sun Blade in the oppressive darkness of the waterway reveals shadows of an approaching humanoid figure, dragging its feet clumsily towards the bend of the waterway.
Your conversation echoes along the narrow stone walls and the growling, hissing sounds become more excited. The sounds of tattered boots scraping along the ground forbode imminent threat.
Sera, Ororana, and Hastos can see the following...
At the bend of the waterway, a dessicated humanoid approaches, wearing severely damaged scraps of Dragon Army armor. It's pale eyes turn towards you and it hisses. Shadows on the wall hint at a second humanoid creature behind it.
"Zombies?" Ororana hisses incredulously. "Ok... something I can actually fight."
Ororana rolls INT check and identifies the creature.
Hastos knows the stat block of zombies automatically.
Larskolstad, your INT penalty prevents you from automatically knowing the stat block. However, since you've been told what it is, I'll allow you to roll with Advantage to see if you remember being taught about them during your training. The DC is 2... so...
We are not yet in Initiative. Ororana's voice was too soft to make out details around the bend, but her tense whispers indicate danger. You are all welcome to ready actions.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Hastos gives Sera a thumbs up and a wink. “Better now.” He says flatly. Clearly he’s still preoccupied with clearing the slime from his face and head orifices.
Hastos, still crouched, motions forward with his hand. “You two have fun.” He gives a half hearted chuckle.
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Sharn approached Hastos and patted as far up his back as he could.
"I hope the taste of that muck doesn't linger."
Then he turned to regard the rabbit person. Sera had it under control, but he couldn't stop himself from interjecting. "You know, if I had a steel for every time I saw a rabbit person on the same night, I would have two. Which is not much, but it's weird that it happened twice in one night."
Nare watches on while his attempts to zap the creature do little more than make it writhe as it shares the pain with the host inside of it. He bobbed his head a little closer to see that the entrapped creature was some sort of elf with symbols of the Dragon Army on his armor. Silently, he looks up and down the group, squinting. A dwarf, a human, a kender. These weren't the usual lot that the army would recruit, especially not the paladin with her holy symbols-
Seemingly caught off guard, one of them freezes. Nare's head swivels towards the small kender's gawking. Below the helmet, a small smile spread across his face, and he wrapped himself in his cloak further and stood up straighter. His ears turn upward when he sees the bits of sand go from sediment to ants. The shadows that surrounded him rippled at the familiarity and the smile spread even bigger. A fellow sorcerer. Kindred spirit. A kindred kender. How nice.
He too was about to say something before something else happened and he was cut off. The elf from before ripped himself free of his slimey bindings, squeaking through -'ow. damned my big ears' - before jumping to safety with a firebolt. The flames extinguish the creature in mere seconds. Nare stays still while his cloak was flung out behind him as some of his gauze flew loose. 'No!'
His toes curl as he refrains from itching. White patches of fur fell to the floor as the wind blew. Others sticking out between some of the gauze were grayish brown. His shoulders roll and nails dig into his palm, 'Don't scratch. Don't scratch. Don't scratch,' he tries to tell himself. The second he had a thought free from itch, he swings his hand over and pulls his cloak over his midsection, but it was too late. By looks on their faces, his big feet and fur gave him away. He was certain they haven't see him ears. They were tucked under the helmet.
"Excuse me sweetie... cute helmet!"
His ears flatten and he slouches. He is just 'baby' to them. Cute. A pet. If he had a steel...
The harengon tries to reign his pity over to the one spitting out slime guts, though at the sight of it, it makes him think what might else have been in that sludge... and what it is made of. Uncorking a bottle he saved earlier, he scoops some of the contents of the muck into it, not really sure of what to make of it ((Survival = 5)). He pinches some of the slime between his fingers just to test its consistency before opening his fingers again (watching the strings fall from his hand) and sealing it away.
The sudden sight of a sunlight in his eyes moves him from his stupor. He squints under his helmet. "Wha-?" When the blade comes at him, he stands up and backs away, hands up. He feels his shadows shudder. "Panty drawer?" He whispers. That caught him off guard. Not more so than the other one. "Graveyard?" He hasn't been in the graveyard since... well his own old team. When she comes closer, his hands jolt a bit to show he was still unarmed. Wait why were they getting upset?! He had been in sewers for two weeks! And they were coming at him like he invaded their home! He even made a cozy little nest here with some soft- no! No, no no! Not nest! 'You're too hare-brained. Bed! Home! Anything else!'
He closes his eyes and counts his own heartbeats, slow, barely a beat a minute, sometimes it ticks between every ten, but no, she wanted it much quicker than that. No, this was no time from dilly-dallying. 'Say something!'
"Uh, I was going to say the same thing you. You're in the sewers... by a graveyard... in the middle of the night. You could be, uh, grave-robbers, escaping? I guess?" Nare shrugs, "But from the looks of it, you're not- likely not- I mean look at you- well, though you can't always say for sure about these things. It's the book not the cover. Well, don't judge the book by its cover. I don't know. Um." He shuffles with his feet for a bit. Then he straightens his shoulders a bit. "Well, I was just here! YOU came into my home. I was just here... doing-"
Molting. He was molting. And the itches on his leg reminded him of that. But he didn't have to reveal that! Reveal something that personal. He doesn't know why he was getting so haughty, but the itches were going crazy!
"Whatever. And then suddenly I heard sounds! I came to check it out. And you all are here attacking that!" He points to the ashen remains of the slime.
"But she has a point, you showed up and hurt our friend, intentionally or not, you need to tells us.”
"Eh, uh. Oh." His shoulders sag. "I didn't mean to. I just- I just thought-"
"A second?" His head was all over the place. Keeping his hands up, he froze. 'Another. But how can that be- Perhaps.' A dry chuckle formed in his throat. His shadows lightly swirled beside him. Beneath the mask his eyes watered. Then came the call for danger. The shadows reeled back into him before he had a chance to comprehend it himself. "Where?" He absentmindedly steps away from the edge of Sera's sun blade.
Closing his eyes, he tries to get a sense of the danger.
((Religion: 18. He's trying to find if the creature has any religious connections or just whatever magical energies it might have))
((Insight = 15))
He doesn't want another fight. Not another thing to die. But seeing how the slime was, death might be the best thing for whatever is around the corner. He breathes out. Sera and her blade are afterimages in his mind. He has to prove himself. If someone attacks at the creature first then he will follow. Sparks start to light up in his hands again.
((Ready Sorcerous Burst for 3 + 6 = 9 :( for 5 + 1 = 6 lightning damage again))
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
The newcomer's explanation was—if one could even call it that—a whirlwind of nonsense and breathless madness. A tangle of words that spiraled in all directions without ever landing on meaning. Sera arched a brow and shot a look at the others, silently asking if they understood a word of it. If so, she hoped they’d deal with him—because she certainly wouldn’t.
“You talk nonsense,” she said plainly, her tone flat as a warhammer. “Hit me, and I hit back. Hard.”
Before more absurdity could unfold, Ororana’s warning sliced through the chaos like a blade: Zombies. Sera’s head snapped toward the corridor, the slow, shambling scrape of something foul echoing from the shadows.
Undead. Real ones.
Her training surged forward—lessons from temple libraries and stern paladins filling her mind. Animated corpses of once-living souls, puppets to evil, impossible to reason with. Slow, yes—but with a cruel habit of refusing to stay down. (insight 12)
“I can turn undead,” Sera said tightly, her voice calmer than she felt. “If it gets nasty.”
She looked to the radiant shimmer of her sunblade, the divine glow bright against the dark. It pulsed in her hand like it wanted to be used.
“…But this blade hurts undeads badly. My turn to earn some scratches,” she added, her voice a touch wry—though her knuckles were white on the hilt.
She ignored the haregon now. His strange spell gathering in his palm did nothing to ease her unease—if anything, it made things worse. Still, she hoped his madness leaned toward their side. It would be just her luck if it didn’t.
Sera raised her shield and took a deep breath. Then she rushed forward looking.
The first undead lurched into view—and the breath caught in her throat.
The thing was a mockery of life. Its rotting flesh clung to it. A dead dragonarmy soldier. The air grew colder around it. Sera felt it in her soul. This… this was wrong. A perversion of life. A walking insult to all that was good and clean in Krynn.
She swallowed hard—but didn’t stop.
“Paladine,” she whispered under her breath as the thing raised clawed fingers, “let me be your flame.”
Then her sword rose, its holy light searing through the darkness, and she was ready to strike down with all the righteous fury of the god she served. ( going up to form a front and will strike at the first zombie that walks close enough. Hit with shield for ac 21 and 8 dam then finish it with sunblade ac 15 for 15 radiant damage . Get on initative 20 then)
Sharn walked back up to the harengon. He didn't have to be perceptive to see that he was awkward and uncomfortable. He extended a welcoming hand in greeting. The cultists had been everything but diplomatic. Besides, it felt like he had found a kindred spirit, of sorts. One of the sewers, while he was of the dirt.
"Excuse us for intruding your home. We thought this was a catacomb of sorts. I see it's anything but. My name is Sharn. I hope you can understand Sera, it's been a long night."
His head dipped in disappointment upon hearing that there were zombies. What did he expect? Of course sad people would foster sad existences.
"Would you help us clean up a bit?"
Hastos smirked at Sharn. “Tastes better than that snake shit I tried at the Dwarf tonight.” Hastos returned the pat. “I appreciate you all trying to get me out of there...” He looks over at Merkas and raises his voice slightly “…except the damned ants!” The winks at Sharn.
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Merkas spends some time scraping some of the slime into an empty perfume bottle he had acquired during the night’s festivities until Sharns comments makes him look up “Rabbit?!” Merkas stares at Sharn, confused “They’re clearly an ancient magus of some kind. I heard about one that had a moose skull, I wonder,is the size of antler an indication of age or power level?” Turning back to Nare and gives a slight bow “It is a great honour to have such an old one with us, perhaps you could help alleviate our trepidation by telling us the name by which you wish to be known. I am Merkas Yabba…”
“Undead” Merkas turns at Sera’s mention of the undead and promptly scampers over to get a look “What kind? The flesh monster stuck together from many others, or the fast wall climbers, can’t be skeletons, not enough rattling, or the see through ghost type cause they usually go through walls” Getting up on his toes to try and see past the hunched Hastos.
The kender jumps back from Hastos looking around the ground and his legs “Ants, where?! I hate ants. You’d think they would avoid a stone place, I don’t have any on me do I?
Loyalty Begets Honour
Sera watch the zombies staggering closer...the red fist, symbol of Sargonnas etched into their foreheads...and did she not bring along one of the defeated cultists symbol to sell? Reaching into her pocket...she pulls it out...( get 20 on hindsight )
The zombies round the bend, hissing and groaning, but when they approach Sera's upraised holy symbol of Sargonnas, their attention shifts from Sera to the rest of the party as if Sera and her deadly radiant weapon wasn't even there.
Larskolstad, I know Sera has morals about combating those who can't fight. Sera can tell that, while she's perfectly safe, the rest of the party is in imminent threat of attack. The zombies are now in Sera's line of sight and attack range. Do you wish to use your readied action? Not that you need it, but while weilding the holy symbol of Sargonnas, you can attack the zombies as if they are Incapacitated, but only towards you. They will make no actions, moves, reactions, or bonus actions towards you. It will be like attacking a practice dummy.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Sera feel bad the animated corpses satagger around...she will end the misery and destfoy them.. That is mercy in her eyes.
Sera slams the nearest zombie hard in the chest, blasting a huge cavern into it and shaterring its ribcage. It makes no sound or attempt to retaliate, but continues to glare hatefully at Merkas. Then, the sword plunges into its heart, briefly dousing the room in darkness. The radiant energy responds to the negative energy inside the zombie, and it begins to glow through its open wound and orifices. Then, scorching light cooks through the zombie, which slowly breaks apart into a pile of ash and bones on the ground. Amidst the pile of dust, you see a sparkling gemstone that appears to be a diamond.
Those who rolled above a 7 for their check to know the stat block of the zombie may read on...
The diamond worked as a magical component to keep the zombie trapped in these sewer tunnels. Though it has value as a regular diamond, it may have latent magical qualities that could be of use, or of high value to interested parties like Duncan or Buckeran.
The bones of a zombie are alchemical components for Necromancy. Weapons, armor, amulets, and other non-consumable items can be imfused with these bone fragments to imbue magical properties into it. Their power is limited, but there could indeed be power taken from it if you wish to use it.
Another zombie, shuffling forward behind it peers around the bend, seemingly uninterested in Sera, but hungrily hisses at Merkas, but Ororana doesn't waste another second! Growling a savage battle cry, she hoists her greataxe high and chops downward! The axe rips through the rotten flesh, tearing the pathetic husk in half diagonally, in much the same way Cult Fanatic Red was cut. The top half of the zombie rebounds off the sewer wall and lands on the ground, unmoving.
Ororana squeals and hops up and down, as if ready for something to happen. After several unimpressive moments, she looks at her hands with obvious disappointment. "Huh... guess it doesn't work with the undead." Frustrated, she kicks the motionless legs of the dismembered zombie, so that it crumples to the ground. With the rest of the hall silent and free of threats, she huffs and turns around. "Ooh! A diamond! I can get us a good price for that at the blacksmith's! What do you say, Sera? We did all the work for this battle. 60-40?" She seems to be implying that the 60% goes to her as she kneels down to pick it up.
Readied actions were enough for this encounter. No initiative needed. 😅
The party gets 150 XP each, except Hastos, who omitted himself from the encounter.
You've found a diamond. (There's probably a diamond somewhere in the other zombie too.)
You've found zombie bones.
Map:
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Hastos watches as Sera and Ororana make short work of the zombies.
He stands up and walks over to look at the remains, flinging his hands to rid himself of the remainder of the slime.
”They didn’t stand a chance.” He says as he looks down on the corpse’s corpses.
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
"aww, it's just the slow shambling kind. They're no fun." Looking over the armour again, Merkas notes the dragon legion emblems "Hey Ory? Any of these guys look familiar to you? Maybe they were a couple of your contracts? (Investigation - 6 checking over the bodies for anything of value, Int - 5 no luck on remembering anything other than "zombie bad")
The kender collects some fingers from the severed zombie as he waits for Ororana's response and sets them in a mason jar he had from the Dancing Dwarfs Kitchen. "Gramma did such good work on Sharn's knuckles I bet we can build something pretty cool with these too! Were you waiting for something special to happen Ory? Seemed like you expected your axe to cause flames or explosions or something, Maybe shoot out rainbows?"
Loyalty Begets Honour
Sera stood over the rotted heap that had once been a person—someone. Someone who may have had family, dreams, memories. Maybe good, maybe not. It wasn’t her place to judge. But still… they had been alive once. And now this—reduced to a puppet of filth and darkness.
Merkas crouched nearby, plucking a fingerbone from the remains like it was just another component for his pouch. Sera watched in silence, a faint crease forming between her brows. She didn’t speak—not yet. Her face, though calm, couldn't quite hide the shadow of quiet disappointment.
She raised her silver symbol of Paladine and closed her eyes. Her voice came soft—more whispered prayer than command:
“May you finally rest in peace. May your soul find relief, and joy among your loved ones in the afterlife… never again pulled into such grotesque service.”
Then, with a motion of her hand, sacred flame poured from above—pure radiant fire crackling down upon the remains. One by one, the pieces were reduced to ash, clean and untainted by corruption.
She lingered a breath longer, eyes downcast, before turning away.
Merkas still held the bone.
She didn’t scold him. Not aloud. Her silence said enough.
She turned to Ororana, her voice quieter than before, but no less certain. “I can use diamonds as components… to bring someone back. A fallen friend. Or anyone… who should return to real life.” She paused, letting the weight of the words settle. “Use the diamond wisely.”
It sounded so much like another lecture, another line that painted her as the group’s moral compass. Sera knew it. Felt the wear of it. She sighed softly—tired not of doing what was right, but of always being seen as the one who must.
Still, she didn’t take the words back.
Some truths needed to be said, even if they cost her.
Hastos puts his hand on Sera’s shoulder. “Well done. They’ve moved on to the next plane.” He says softly, noticing the troubled look on Seras face. “This is good work. Unpleasant, but good.”
Hastos squeezes Sera’s shoulder gently and backs away to give her whatever space she needs. “We should probably get to know our… new friend.”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Ororana shakes her head. Her wild mane of curly hair flops around with the motion. "Sweeite, if they were my bounties, they wouldn't have their heads attached. The dragon armies number in the 100s of thousands. These two were just foot soldiers in the war. From their armor, I'd say they were frontline fodder. The Hachakee perfrom raids and skirmishes along the Khur borders and mountains to slow the advance of the armies. My guess is these are fallen sodiers from one of those missions."
Ororana scoops up the diamond, but takes a moment to look at you with a sad kind of innocence. "Sera... I'm not sure who would want to come back into this world. I fight because I am alive, and others can benefit from my skills. But when I die, my work will be done. I fully intend to stay dead. Not even a hundred of these things could bring me back into this..." she gestures vagely around her "hell we're living in. But still, if it's that important to you, keep it. Just make sure you bring back someone who actually wants to be brought back." Loathe to let go of wealth after she already exhausted half her potions in this adventure, she tentatively places the diamond in your hand and curls your fingers around it. Her eyes turn up from your closed fist, and meet your eyes with a sudden seriousness you wouldn't expect from her. She almost seems to be judging Sera. It's clear that she has a past with religion, and it shows in her generally irreverent behavior. But Sera has just stumbled on something sacred for Ororana... the right and privilage to be free of this world after serving their role with honor and ferocity.
Ororana, follows Hastos's signal to get to know the strange new lightning user. "Good idea. But maybe we can walk and talk? Our target gets further away with each delay, and eventually someone is going to notice a pile of trussed up bodies in that mauseleum. Judging by the fact that my potions have worn off, I'd say we headed down here about 10 minutes ago. And the party was ending before we went below. That's more than enough time for these cultists to have started formulating a defence and set more traps."
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
“Agreed.” Hastos says as he lofts his shield and takes point. He takes a moment to turn back to the harengon. “I am Hastos. Please do not electrocute me again.” And with that, he pushes forward again, keeping an eye out for additional traps.(Investigation: 11)
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread