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60 minutes left on Protection from Evil, 40 minutes left on the torches

Mordred's sword flickers in the candlelight as it swings up, and then arcs down, ending the priestess once and for all. An icy wind cuts through the still, musty air, snuffing the candles. The Kinslayer statue, seeming to dance menacingly out of the corner of their eyes, vanishes into the gloom. There is a loud cracking sound from the direction of the statue, and then nothing. A weight seems to lift from their shoulders.

The only light now comes from Geraint's and Corvin's torches, bathing the quartet in dim flickering light, but leaving the rest of the basement pitch black.

Geraint sighs in relief, while Sebastian takes a few minutes to tend to everyone's wounds 1d20+16+1 = 34, 1d4 = 1 HP for Corvin, 1d20+16+1 = 20, 1d4 = 3 HP for Mordred.

Actions?

Mordred

"It's done" - Mordred nodded resolute.

"Let's take a moment to search this place for any information or valuables which might be recovered" - he added with a nod of thanks as Sebastian tended to his wounds - "Then lets get out of here"

(Searching for valuables belonging to the priestess, or stuff she might have ransacked from her victims. Searching for anything which might indicate who the victims were, and perhaps to whom they could return some of the possessions, or deliver the bad news. Searching the priestess. Searching where the statue was. Searching for documents which might relate what she was doing here - maybe a diary or something)

Corvin

"Thanks Sebastian."

He looks at Mordred "I need to find Wendy's family."

From the look on Corvin's face it's obvious he has little hope of finding them alive.

20 minutes left on Protection from Evil, a new torch will need to be lit

The group begin the grim task of searching the dark, twisted basement. The statue has crumbled into dust, likely the source of that cracking sound they heard when Mordred slew the priestess. The base of the crumbled statue is stained with blood, likely the location of more than a few ritual sacrifices to the Kinslayer.

The priestess herself bears the strange, multi-eyed mask, and a bloodstained robe edged in runes 1d20+14+1(arcane lore) = 35 > 20, runes that Mordred recognizes as being protective runes. Though what exactly they protect against is not clear without further research. A plain dagger is found on her hip, and her twisted holy symbol: a five pointed iron Crown, lay on the ground between her head and body.

The group finds three zombies standing perfectly still, staring blankly into space. They do not respond to the team 1d20+14+1(arcane lore)-2(unfamiliarity with the undead) = 22 > 20. Based on his studies, Mordred knows that the more autonomy undead are granted, the more difficult the raising. He suspects these zombies were not raised as warriors or guardians, but rather as laborers, and thus possess far less autonomy than even the skeletons (and therefore would have been easier to raise).

They find a small pallet large enough for one person in the northeastern corner of the shrine with woolen blankets, some comfortable pillows, unlit candles and a pot half-full of lamp oil. The group finds speckles of dried blood leading in a path between the crumbled statue and the pallet, as if someone bloodied were dragged from the rough location of the pallet to the statue or vice versa. Strangely, there is no sign of manacles, or a prison or anything else to hold future sacrifices. Nor does the group find any other beds, despite there having been at least two priestesses down here.

Corvin

"There must be some kind of bedroom for the priests, surely, maybe a hidden door somewhere?"

He starts taking a closer look at the walls for hidden doors or panels.

15 minutes left on Protection from Evil, 55 minutes left on torch
Corvin lights a fresh torch (Make sure to mark a torch off your inventory shaidar), and begins studying the walls, hunting for any secret doors. After a few minutes, he feels a piece of the wall behind the pallet give, and a concealed door swings open, revealing a short corridor that ends in two wooden doors, one on the north, the other on the south.

A figure shuffles forward, deathly silent, and Corvin takes an unintentional step back. As the creature emerges from the hallway, Corvin's torchlight falls on Nathan's bloated, dead face. There is a bloodstained puncture wound in his chest, and he stiffly raises his fists. The figure steps forward and awkwardly swings his fists at Corvin.

The zombie will attack Corvin. Sebastian will charge in and try to shove the zombie the ground, while Geraint will charge around behind it and attack it.

Actions!

Corvin

"Oh Nathan, I'm so sorry. I will give you peace."

He swings his fist at the zombie.

Mordred

Comes to assist Corvin, slicing at the zombie.

Initiative

Corvin/Geraint: 1d20+2 = 17
Sebastian: 1d20+1 = 13
Mordred: 7
-- Lost --
Zombie


Corvin slashes at the zombie with his claws, while Geraint circles around behind the undead monster and thrusts with his sword. 1d20+2+1+8 = 17 < 20, 1d20+1+2(from behind)+8 = 13. The two slice and thrust at the zombie, but none of their attacks penetrate deeply enough to do any real damage, and the creature clearly doesn't feel any pain.

Sebastian slams his shield against the creature's lumbering frame, trying to knock it prone 1d20+11 vs 1d20+10 = 25 vs 19, zombie is prone. Sebastian easily knocks the clumsy creature off balance, and it falls to the ground. The creature drags itself forward, reaching for Corvin.

Mordred takes advantage of the opening presented by Sebastian, and steps forward with a powerful slash 9+8+4(prone) = 21 > 20, damage = 8. Zombie only had 4 HP. His blade cuts cleanly through the creature's back, severing its spine. As the magic animating it fades, a look of peace settles over the monster's face. It seems to truly see Corvin for the first time. It clumsily throws an arm back, slapping the north wall. It lets out a final, gasping moan before going still "Aaaaaaa...."

Everyone gets 20/3 = 6.6 rounded up 7 XP for defeating the Zombie. Sebastian gets 4 since he's a henchman.

Corvin

Corvin looks down sadly at the body "I will make sure you get a proper burial, Nathan, with your mother if I can." he looks at the others "The north door then."

He wastes no time heading over to the door in the north door. He looks at the others and holds his finger to his lips for a second before turning and listening at the door.

Corvin hears nothing. He tries the handle, but it's locked. A quick inspection confirms the door is wooden, and opens inward, i.e. into the room on the other side of the door, rather than out into the hall. There is no sign of any tripwires or other traps.

{Corvin}

He looks at the others: "Do we go looking for a key, or just force the door open. I'm quite happy to smash the thing down.".

Corvin steps back and looks ready to try and kick it open.

10 minutes left on Protection from Evil, 50 minutes on the torch

It takes a few good solid kicks, but Mordred and Corvin are able to kick the door down. There is a rattle of chains in the corner as Corvin steps in and sweeps his torch over the small, dark dungeon. The torchlight falls on a young woman chained to and half-hanging from the wall by manacles around her wrists. Her simple dress is torn in several places, her dark stringy hair plastered to her face. Her arms are caked with dried blood, and she winces at the sudden light, narrowing bloodshot eyes.

She licks cracked lips, and her voice comes out in a dry rasp. "Corvin?"

Corvin recognizes the voice immediately: Astrid. Benjamin and Wendy's middle child and only daughter.

As Corvin moves more fully into the room, his torchlight falls on Astrid's left hand. Unlike the right, which dangles against the manacle, her left is held open and tied to the chains with string, palm facing outward. An icy breeze runs down Corvin's spine, and it's almost like he can hear faint laughter as his eyes fall upon that hand. For burned into her palm is the five pointed crown of the Kinslayer, the same symbol that until recently hung around the neck of the dread priestess.

Corvin

Corvin pushes the worry of that symbol away from his thoughts for the moment, just happy that Astrid is alive. He rushes over to her, getting his waterskin out.

"Astrid, it's me, you're safe now. Here, drink this, slowly." he gives her little sips of water "Where are the others?"

Astrid drinks some of the water, coughing and sputtering a little bit. She shakes her head, her voice thick with tears. "Mom's...mom's gone. When they took us. She killed two of them, but... Dad, the priestess she...could hear his screams. Nathan, oh Seer, Nathan. Turned into a monster. Benjy wasn't home. Still deployed down south."

Astrid's dirty, thin body began to shake. "Gone. All gone."

Corvin

"You're safe now Astrid. Nathan is at peace and the priestess is dead."

He hugs her and finally lets the tears out.

Astrid sags in Corvin's hug, letting out a deep sigh. Her body shakes in his hold, and her lips press together firmly, but no tears come forth. Astrid's family descends from a nomadic people who once roamed the Amber Seas, and her mother worked hard to keep the old ways as alive as she could. They believe that tears are seeds of the soul released to the winds, like dandelion seeds floating upon the breeze. They only shed their tears when they are safe, secure and outside, where their tears are free to fly and start new lives somewhere else.

Sebastian tries to enter, but Mordred stops him, giving the pair a moment.

Eventually, when Corvin calms down a bit, he takes a moment to study Astrid's chains. They're good, solid steel securely bolted to the stone wall. Unfortunately, none of the keys the group has collected so far fit in them.

Corvin

"Look, I have your mother's sword. Vane is also dead. Do you know where the keys to your chains are? What about the door across the way?"

Astrid's eyes widen, and she glances down at Corvin's hip, where Wendy's sword sits. She smiles. "Thank you, Corvin. The key, I dunno. The priestess always had it when she came in, to unchain the others before..."

Astrid gags, and her body jerks in the chains as she heaves for a moment, spitting up some bile. She takes a few deep, shuddering breaths, as well as a few more sips from Corvin's water bottle. "S-sorry. I, I dunno. Maybe? Just been in here, for I don't know. I don't know how long. I don't..."

Corvin

Corvin tries to hide his concern about her condition from Astrid, casting a worried look to Mordred and Sebastian.

"Here, this is my friend Sebastian, a druid. He'll look you over and we can find the key. It has to be around here somewhere."