Chapter 8 - Orc Recon

[Zorroroaster]

Seeing so many of his friends fleeing in terror, Arnulf desperately looks around for something, anything to use against the creature. He's out of spells, and knows in his heart that playing darts on this...thing will just enrage it more.

He spots Hyde's dropped sword nearby and quickly snatches it from the floor. It tingles ominously in his hands, sending warning sparks flitting painfully across his field of vision. He shakes his head and lifts the sword with some effort.

"No! We must drive this thing back! Back!"

He swings the sword clumsily and it whickers past the shambling corpse, throwing Arnulf off balance. As he swings, pain arcs up the lengths of his arms. He arches his back in agony and nearly drops the sword, crying out. The sudden look on his face is heartbreaking: a mixture of loss, shock, anguish. He begins to gibber to himself as his eyes shine with tears.

"I'm so sorry! Please! God, what have I done?"

[onlyme]

DAndelion sheepishly moves back toward the battle.

random [1d20] = 13; [1d100] = 89

[AleBelly]

Yenny, Lorilee, Tempus, and Arnulf are left to face the flaming undead terror!

Tempus acts quickly, backing away. He loads a sling stone and flings it, nearly falling over in the process. It sails feet wide of his target, exiting through a window. That was a shot a halfling should be truly embarrassed by. Fluffy whines and retreats with its master.

Arnulf, in a true act of desperation, attempts to wield Hyde's mighty sword. The results are predictable. Flailing wildly, the mage almost immediately regrets his actions, and wonders what fate befalls a wizard that violates the strictures of his order.

Yenny pulls a hammer from her belt and begins chanting in a sonorous voice. She gains the attention of the flaming corpse, and it lumbers towards her. Blinding by Arnulf's light, the foe is unable to see the femur of a long-dead orc. It stumbles over it, and falls to the ground! FUMBLE! Yenny continues her incantations uninterrupted and flings her hammer into the air. It vanishes, being replaced by a floating, illuminated weapon just above the prone corpse. It lands a blow to the upper arm, appearing to do damage. Still, the corpse writhes as it struggles to regain its feet.

Lorilee is gripped in fear, unable to move.

Hyde, Angus, Dandelion and Galan, having regained control of their faculties, see Hellebore continuing to flee at top speed, her wolf at her heels.

Actions? If Hyde, Angus, Dandelion and Galan are returning to the scene, they may now act. onlyme, rolls don't carry over from round to round to please re-roll if Dandelion plans to attack.

Date: 18 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 12:50
Conditions: 34F, damp and grey, northwest wind at 10 mph, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect: Light on burning corpse's eyes through 13:17, Yenny's spiritual hammer through 12:53
Light bearers: Sun, corpse torch
Intended Direction of Travel: 90 degree bearing, 1.2 mph, 2.8 miles traveled today
Injury Status: Hyde lightly wounded

[Storm11]

Tempus shamed by his terrible shot, plucks another fro his pouch and fires it at the flaming creature.

[1d6] = 3 : [1d20+5] = 14+5 = 19 : [1d4+1] = 2+1 = 3 : [1d100] = 92

"Back Fluffy, good girl," he says as he lets fly his bullet

[enn.in.me]

Yenny sends her magic hammer flying at the flaming beast again while she continues to back around the room, trying to stay out of the creature's range.

Initiative [1d6] = 4, flail [1d20] = 12, damage [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7, crit [1d100] = 25

(Hopefully fire damage is occurring too?)

[Marullus]

Far off across the field, a tiny woman, a huge wolf, and two flapping birds regain their composure.

[AleBelly]

Yenny sends her magic hammer flying at the flaming beast again while she continues to back around the room, trying to stay out of the creature's range.

Initiative [1d6] = 4, flail [1d20] = 12, damage [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7, crit [1d100] = 25

(Hopefully fire damage is occurring too?)

So far the fire doesn't seem to be causing the creature trouble. Which is why you don't smell burning, rotten flesh coming from it.

[Storm11]

the one Tempus lit though that's burning up nicely can we tell?

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf is blubbering now, it's not entirely clear why he's so distraught but he channels his grief and rage into lifting the sword one last time and brings it crashing down on the crawling corpse.

Swingin' like Hyde, Part II: [1d20] = 18 Damage [1d6] = 5 Critical [1d100] = 23

"Please, just die. Just...stay...dead." He sobbing, his breathing hoarse and ragged.

The use of the sword continues to cause him to suffer, his pudgy arms quivering with the effort to maintain a grip on it. His muscles jerk involuntarily as spasms of psychic pain rock him to the core.

I think that's a hit, even with the -5. I just gave the raw roll - I don't know whether that sword has any bonus to it or not.

[tkrexx]

Hyde comes stomping in, his beloved great axe now in hand. His face and relative silence betray he's still afraid but knows he can't abandon his tribe. He sees Arnulf, of all people, swinging his sword at the burning, living corpse with the glowing face... And it appears he hit?? The pudgy Mage has held his courage and taken the Half-Orc's place as party tank?? He could hurt himself! This Hyde will not stand for! Hey!! What the hell are ya doing, hah?? He barks as he charges, Get outta the way!! He strikes as the undead thing tries to clamber from the floor, in a high arc designed to cleave head from body. He's good at that.

Init: [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7

To hit: [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15
Dmg: [1d8+5] = 5+5 = 10

Crit: [1d100] = 86

Ooooo!

[Nuke66]

Galan looks for an opening....to backstab

[1d20+4] = 7+4 = 11 to hit [1d6] = 5 damage [1d100] = 65 crit

[onlyme]

Trident [1d20] = 3; dam s/m [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5; dam L [3d4] = 10; crit [1d100] = 69; init [1d6] = 1

Dandelion , still feeling the weird sense of fear, pokes her trident toward the air hitting nothing but a breeze.

[AleBelly]

Our fearless, um, er, brave adventurers see the flaming corpse in a vulnerable condition and attack with vigor.

Hyde steps forward first. He seeks to reprise his role of executioner once again. He swings downward with a mighty stroke, one of his finest. Surely this is a decapitating blow...but the axe nearly flies from his hands as it penetrates halfway into the creature's neck...and is suddenly ejected by some unknown force! The wound closes immediately. Arnulf steps forward, his pale white arms trembling under the weight of his borrowed sword. He slashes, opening a wound in the putrid flesh. This one does not close. The creature continues to struggle to its feet as Yenny's magical hammer lands a tremendous blow, crushing its skull. It slumps to the ground, unmoving. The foe finally appears to be vanquished. Now, the dying flames from the Greek fire begin to consume the rotting tissue, releasing a smell most foul.

Actions?

Date: 18 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 12:51
Conditions: 34F, damp and grey, northwest wind at 10 mph, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect: Light on burning corpse's eyes through 13:17, Yenny's spiritual hammer through 12:53
Light bearers: Sun, corpse torch
Intended Direction of Travel: 90 degree bearing, 1.2 mph, 2.8 miles traveled today
Injury Status: Hyde lightly wounded

[Storm11]

"I think it's finally dead!" Tempus breathes in relief, smoothing his long dreadlocks nervously.

"Impervious to normal weapons perchance?" the young Druid shudders and moves away.

After a thorough search of the chamber is conducted he waits to see if it is time to leave this place finally and make camp somewhere outside the bounds of the deserted township.

as a reminder, what time of day is it please and how long do we think it takes to get to the other town Sambourd? Cheers ears

[onlyme]

Dandelion asserts,

Can we not please exit stage left pronto? This place shows no promise in furthering my career. Let's move to where we KNOW we will be valued.

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf drops the sword on the ground, shattering the sudden quiet. He seems to crumple inwardly, and lands heavily, his arms wrapping around himself. His face is pale, with a sheen of sweat.

"No, no, no, no..."

His eyes are squeezed shut, but tears escape the corners and run in rivulets down his cheeks, spattering his dirty robe. He rocks back and forth as he continues to mumble to himself.

[Marullus]

Hellebore reappears in the doorway, recomposed and smoothing some dignity back into her overdress with her hands. She notes Arnulf sobbing to himself on the floor and pauses, but says nothing of it, instead looking at the now-burning corpse on the floor. "Ah. Good. At least we know that it CAN be permanently released from torment..." She looks to Yenny and quirks an eyebrow, a silent request for her affirmation and direction on this matter.

[Zhym]

"Aiiiiiiiiiiuuuuggghhh," cries Angus as he runs. "Told 'em! Un-dead don't stay dead!"

When he finally comes to his senses, he stops and flashes a sheepish grin at the other sprinters. "Let's never talk about this," he says.

He rushes back to the house as fast as he can manage. When he gets there, he sees something even more disturbing than zombies that won't stay dead: Arnulf using a sword!

"What in the name of Medusa's blind hairdresser are you doing, boy? That ain't no butter knife!"

[tkrexx]

Reeling from the shock of his heavy axe bouncing off the undead thing, but relieved it is finally disposed of, Hyde kneels next to Arnulf and gingerly retrieves his sword. Hey, ya okay, hah? I didn't mean to snap at ya, no, I think what ya done was brave, yeahh, real brave. Stupid thing scared most of us away! I just don't want any more of my good pals to get kilt, that's all. I lost too many already, and I don't have many good pals, no. We lost Arlandria, we lost Eduard, we lost Sev, we lost Jaspa, ... But he's probably back with that Fish-Woman ... His thick single eyebrow furrows deep as his eyes tightly close, his lips pull away from his outsized teeth in a horrid grimace, and he tries shaking the thought from his head ... Veles above, I bet that stinks! Anyway, that thing is finally extinct, and partly thanks to you. Just... Try not to try that again, hah?

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf's voice is an anguished whisper.

"It's gone, Hyde. Just...gone. When I picked up your sword I was only trying to help. I didn't know this would... All my life I've felt it inside me, around me. Aphoz taught me how to shape it, channel it, release it. And now I feel nothing. It's like being in a dark room and the wind has just blown out the only candle."

He buries his head in his bloodied hands and continues sobbing.