Zombie Constitution Saving Throw: 16 21

Therne's small ball of flame hits the zombie in the upper arm, toasting it. The limb barely hangs by a small strand of muscle.

The penned in zombies both attack their prey. Broken apart, charred and bloodied, they are relentless in their assault and strike at Abner and Brozak with everything that they have remaining - be it exposed bone, tooth or claw.

Zombie Attack vs Brozak: 16 Damage: 2 6

Zombie Attack vs Abner: 20 Damage: 2 9

Abner, in his panic, manages to duck out of the way of his attacker as he shouts madly. Brozak, aided by Red's previous spell, manages to hold fast against the undead assailant.

Order of Initiative: Brozak, Therne, Zombies, Adri, Abner and Red.

[OoC]: Forgot about the zombie's disadvantage - added it and now 'manipulated'. Ignore the rolls that are struck out.

Adri will, once again, try Sacred Flame on the zombie attacking Brozak

Dex save DC 12 or take 3 radiant damage

[ooc zombie should have had disadvantage vs Brozak]

Quote from Catmcn10 >>

Adri will, once again, try Sacred Flame on the zombie attacking Brozak

Dex save DC 12 or take 2 radiant damage

Zombie Dexterity Saving Throw: 9

Adri's sacred flame annihilates the elusive zombie in a column of radiant fire - leaving nothing but a small whirlwind of ash harmlessly coating Brozak's armour and shield.

Quote from skuk >>

[ooc zombie should have had disadvantage vs Brozak]

[OoC]: Caught it and edited just before you posted, my bad. Scrambled my head working out this map editing software, but we're all on track now! 

we need music for the big finish Red will swing his fiddle around and use the flat of the rapier to get the required distortion:

Skreeee - b-d-d-d-d-djeeoowwmmmm...baaahm---bahm-bahm-baaahhmm… Buffy Theme

And use a wordless howl to throw Vicious Mockery at the last one: DC13 Wisdom save or 3 psych damage plus disadvantage on next attack

Zombie Wisdom Saving Throw: -1

Zombie Constitution Saving Throw: 15

As Red's distorted melody echoes against the walls, the zombie begins to violently shudder. Suddenly, thick black ichor bursts from its eyes, nose, mouth and ears; and it falls to the floor twitching before becoming completely still.

 Combat over! 

OOC: Yaaaay!

Therne wipes the sweat from her brow and sets the end of her quarterstaff down, leaning into it heavily. "That was intense. I've never seen anything like that before." She looks around. "I'd like to take a breather, but I don't know if it's safe to do so." (If detect magic is still up, which I think it is, she'll take another look around with it.) "How's everyone feeling?"

Quote from pocketmouse >>

OOC: Yaaaay!

(If detect magic is still up, which I think it is, she'll take another look around with it.) 

[OoC]: I also cheered a little when the last zombie went down! Combat took 8 rounds, so just under a minute total. Also, Therne took 2 points of damage from one of the zombies earlier in combat, so I'll roll her DC10 Concentration check now to see if she held onto the spell.

(Belated) Therne Concentration Check: 15

Therne can still only really detect the conjuration oppressively surrounding her, as well as transmutation on the dagger that was taken from the chest of the noble-looking zombie.

Red's tail is atwitch with adrenaline even as his shoulders slouch with exhaustion. Ooof, I thought that would go even longer. Looking around at the remnants: These poor sods. Lord Redmane - a suicide from a broken heart, you reckon? One's body as a zombie doesn't keep one's soul from rest, does it? Anyhow, they didn't deserve this, hope they can rest if they aren't already. But practical matters - did Redmane die with the key to that chest, or some other clue?

I am not hurt, thanks to our sister's divine enwrapping, but all spells expended. I've been out since the start of this fight.

Red will search the corpse of Redmane's corpse and around the room: Investigation 19

Other than the shadowy table, there doesn't seem to be much interesting about the room itself. Redmane's body on the other hand, has a few trinkets and treasures tucked into the pockets of the fine doublet he wore:

• an embroidered silk purse (worth 30gp) containing 20gp and 20sp
• a silver key
• an exquisite holy symbol of Sune (a sardonyx cameo set in a silver amulet; worth 200gp)

Abner

Abner peaks under the table (anything there) and then looks to the door to the south. 

"Let's head out this next door and get the heck out of here!"

Lets have a tiny breather before we go. There are some goodberries left for those who need healing? I gave mine away already. Who has and who needs?

I don't think a night's sleep here is wise, but that means we are very limited in spells and healing. And I have to imagine the Lady Redmane is in here somewhere - we broke her mirror and ended up inside (if that is what is happening) but why would that kill whatever she is now. So we may be in for another fight. Or a puzzle or a trial.

I've got a key now - I am hoping a copy of the chest or alter on this side leads to the other side - what if the necromancy Lady Therne detected there was the signal of these things here? And some other treasures for Redmane's heirs (I fear). Along with that magic dagger, I assume the instrument of his (first) demise.

But after those who need healing get their berries, Red will follow along as we head south

[ooc stuff added to the list on the google doc https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V-Sp6QghZRcVb_BASNxKGfJmw1t5fCcN-p8X9EMFb2I/edit?usp=sharing ]

Abner and Red head through the southern door into the next room. A grand staircase rises from the foot of this two-story entrance hall. The front doors are veiled in darkness, as are all other exits on the lower floor. It seems there is only one path open to you, onward and upward. Atop the stairs, the shadows grow thicker still, like a black mist enveloping the balcony and weighing on your every move. Once more, it appears that only one path lies open - a single doorway at the end of a long, black hallway.

[OoC]: I'm assuming you're travelling by Abner's light, as the illumination in these rooms is the same as everywhere else you've encountered in this strange shadowy realm.

[ooc I wrote 'take a breather' and 'after those who need healing.." so everyone ought to get a chance to get caught up and weigh in on what we do. I'm not sure if we'll take a short rest but some are fairly low on hp. It seems like there is only one path but we ought to be ready before we fight the boss battle if it's coming]

Abner

Abner managed to come out of this unscathed, thanks to Adri's help. Nevertheless, he thinks a short rest might be a good idea. What's the plan?

"I agree that sleeping here overnight should be avoided if at all possible," Therne says. "I'm pretty torn up, probably about half as healthy as on a good day, but I did already have some of the goodberries, so if others need them and we take a short rest I'll probably do all right. And then we should take a look at that casket." She thinks. "And the dagger. It's magical, I don't know exactly what it does, though -- not stop the undead, we know that."

[ooc

I read that we need a short rest - Broz and Therne need healing. Red will propose taking an hour, they take a hit die apiece, and cover the remaining damage with berries. There are 6 left if I do my math correctly. In the short rest, Red will check if the silver rapier has any other properties, and either Adri (because she has it) or Abner (because dagger is his main melee weapon) should focus on the dagger from Redmane's chest.

Then we should set the marching  order etc so our intrepid DM can carry on. Broz in front, Adri rearguard ok? New Light on B's shield?

DM tipped his hand so we'd pick up banging on the door to the upstairs shrine room

all ok?]

OOC: Sounds fine - Therne close enough to the front that she can use Detect Magic.

[OoC]: Since nobody other than pocketmouse has replied to skuk's suggestion, we'll go with that to move forward.

The five of you take seats at the dining table after moving the zombie bodies to a corner of the room. You take the time to adjust your armour, clean your weapons, eat and drink - mentally preparing yourselves to venture further through the house of Redmane. Adri spends some of her time inspecting the dagger she pulled from the zombie, during which she appears to stimulate the weapon into a gentle glow, similar to Abner's light but not as large. Meanwhile Red takes the time to study the silvered rapier he found. There are no inherent magical properties, but the weapon is of exquisite make and could fetch a pretty penny to the right buyer.

[OoC]: Catmcn10, I've added Redmane's dagger to your character sheet. I'll leave it up to you if you want to tell the others what it does. Everybody else, please roll your hit die if you wish to spend them to heal up.

After an hour has passed and you each feel somewhat rested, you decide to proceed up the stairs onto the balcony. Pushing through the shadows with Abner's light again cast on Brozak's shield, the dragonborn steps up to the door and steels himself. Grasping the handle, he checks back to make sure that everybody is ready, before entering the room.

As you enter, you would guess that this was, or is, the master bedroom. The darkness is even more oppressive here, and you can feel it dulling your instincts as you step in. The chamber is dominated by an elegant four-poster bed, in which a beautiful woman lies in a restless sleep. As you look more closely, it appears that the edges of the female figure blur and meld into the bed around her - almost like an illusion bleeding into its surroundings.

Perception Checks:

Abner: 7

Adri: 4

Brozak: 4

Red: 7

Therne: 17

All of you fail to spot the shadowy figure on the far side of the room as it emanates a piercing wail that rips through your ear drums and echoes around the dark bedroom.

Charisma Saving Throws:

Abner: 9

Adri: 20

Brozak: 17

Red: 25

Therne: 15

Brozak shouts in horror as he takes 3 psychic damage and is frightened of the shadowy being until the end of his next turn. You all turn to face the figure, the gloom around it causing your instinct to jump into combat falter somewhat.

Intelligence Saving Throws:

Abner: 1

Adri: 21

Brozak: 8

Red: 17

Therne: 15

Only Abner appears to let the darkness draw his attention, as the rest of you prepare to vanquish this evil once and for all.

[OoC]: Abner's fail gave him disadvantage on his initiative roll.

Initiative:

Abner: 8

Adri: 13

Brozak: 5

Red: 8

Therne: 5

Wailing Shadow: 16

Combat

The creature, intangible and made up of inky black tendrils, shrieks as it flies towards Red. as it glides through the air, the tiefling notices that it bears the face of a woman but distorted beyond recognition. She grabs hold of the Bard by the shoulders and leans in, almost like a lover giving a kiss. A horrible sound that you could not describe splits the air, and you see Red's life force starting to leak from his mouth and begin to be drawn towards the shadow's mouth.

Life Drain vs Red: 11 Damage: 4 necrotic 

Fortunately, Red manages to pull free from the grasp of the figure and snap his mouth closed before she can harm him.

Order of Initiative: Wailing Shadow, Adri, Brozak, Abner, Therne and Red.

[OoC]: Man, that was a long post with a lot of rolls! I don't think I'll be able to post again this weekend, but I felt bad for being unable to do anything significant yesterday!