IC XI

[thirdkingdom]

Round One, downstairs

Aquar strides forward, calling for the trouble to cease. The mercenary who started all the trouble ignores him, and, before anyone can act, slashes with his sword and cuts one of his fellows from ear to ear. Blood spills forth from his throat, bright red in dim light of the tower. Mursely acts quickly, chanting the words to a spell of somnolence. Near a dozen of the men-at-arms, including the attacker, slump to the ground in a slumber.

Upstairs

Before the adventurers can react to the commotion from down below they hear the chanting of a spell, then silence.

[Wyzard]

Severi, Elf

Severi shakes his head. If the bodies cannot be hurled from the tower via the arrow slits, he makes other arrangements for their removal.

I wonder if the bodies might contain some kind of..psychoactive gas, or something? I dunno, I'm reaching here.

[thirdkingdom]

Uh, you could probably squeeze the bodies through an arrow slit, if you tried.

[MonsterMash]

Thurgan, dwarf

Thurgan listens to see if the conflict has been ended by the spell, if so he prepares to help remove the bodies.

[Wyzard]

Uh, you could probably squeeze the bodies through an arrow slit, if you tried.

Done.

If one of them has a cloak, he'll use that to protect his hands, in case they start to deliquesce while he's shoving them out.

Oh, and he'll check them for treasure.

[thirdkingdom]

The elf checks the bodies but finds nothing. Severi and Thurgan hoist the bodies one at a time and squeeze them through the narrow opening of the window slits. The bodies are . . . not rotten. Other than the putrescent odor it appears as if the corpses could have died only moments ago. The two turn to leave, only to see three bodies hanging from the rafters in roughly the center of the room, twisting slowly in the wind.

[Alethan]

Rhys the Believer

Rhys eyes the new bodies with a look of horror.

"Told you we should have left the bodies alone. Let's find out what happened down stairs and get out of here."

Rhys waits for no reply. He heads down the stairs at the fastest safe pace and begins pounding everyone up to leave the tower.

[shaidar]

Mursley, MU

With the immediate threat over, Mursley will rush to the wounded fellow to see if anything can be done

[thirdkingdom]

Mursley, MU

With the immediate threat over, Mursley will rush to the wounded fellow to see if anything can be done

The man's lifeblood flows from him in a torrent. Promptly given first aid or healing magic could certainly save his life.

[Wyzard]

Severi attempts to disbelieve.

[Grognardsw]

Aquar, cleric

"Procan almighty, look what you've done!" Aquar says to the blade weilding mercenary. To the others: "Secure him, take his sword, I want to question him."

Aquar kneels before the bleeding man and chants a divine heal blessing (CLW), followed by first aid if necessary (3x proficiency.)

After, Aquar questions the victim and perpetrator. "What brought words to fighting? What were you feeling? Do you normally move to brawling so quickly? How do you feel now about what you did? Did you feel influenced by anything?"

Of witnesses, Aquar asks: "What did you see? Did affront warrant fight? Did the men seem themselves?"

Aquar regrets camping here and considers other options.

[thirdkingdom]

Severi attempts to disbelieve.

Severi rubs his eyes and blinks rapidly. It is as if scales have fallen off his eyes. There are still three corpses dangling before him, but these three are ancient and wizened, shrunken with age, with leathery skin and claw-like fingers. Shockingly, the faces of all three have been removed somehow -- whether with magic or flensing knife -- and their empty eye sockets leer at the elf as they twist and turn.

Glancing around the room, Severi also notes that what had seemed to be a clean chamber in decent condition is, in fact, decrepit to the point of danger. Cobwebs thick enough to serve as tapestries line the ceilings and walls, dust lies an inch or more on the floor, and in spots great holes yawn in the flooring, open to the level below. Luckily, no one has fallen through a hole, or stepped on an as yet unrevealed weak spot.

Note that there is no sign that the bodies are actually animate.

Aquar, cleric

"Procan almighty, look what you've done!" Aquar says to the blade weilding mercenary. To the others: "Secure him, take his sword, I want to question him."

Aquar kneels before the bleeding man and chants a divine heal blessing (CLW), followed by first aid if necessary (3x proficiency.)

After, Aquar questions the victim and perpetrator. "What brought words to fighting? What were you feeling? Do you normally move to brawling so quickly? How do you feel now about what you did? Did you feel influenced by anything?"

Of witnesses, Aquar asks: "What did you see? Did affront warrant fight? Did the men seem themselves?"

Aquar regrets camping here and considers other options.

Aquar calls upon the powers granted to him by his Immortal patron; before his eyes the cut closes and color once more suffuses the man's face. He showers Aquar and Procan both with thanks. A quick glance at Olgbol reveals the orc is in no small discomfort; the orc's eyes are rolling wildly, a white froth is forming on his porcine lips and he strains against his bonds. The rope used around his wrists cut deeply into his flesh.

Just to clarify, Aquar is going to wake the crazed mercenary, correct? Does he take any special precautions prior to doing so? Also, are you guys downstairs waking up all of the men-at-arms that were put to sleep?

[Grognardsw]

I forgot he's asleep. Aquar will let him be for the moment, making sure weapons are secure. Then tie him up. By then the rest of the party will arrive and concensus on next action reached.

[shaidar]

Mursley, MU

We should wake those not directly involved in the fight. As suggested the crazed mercenary should be disarmed, tied up, and left asleep. The others involved in the fight should be disarmed and left asleep so they can be questioned later.

Mursley will make sure a couple of the mercs keep an eye on the orc in case he starts to escape his bounds.

[Wyzard]

Severi, Elf

Severi's eyes narrow to a scowl. If he can do so in relative safety, he makes a second attempt to cut down the bodies, now that the truth is revealed to him.

[thirdkingdom]

Severi, Elf

Severi's eyes narrow to a scowl. If he can do so in relative safety, he makes a second attempt to cut down the bodies, now that the truth is revealed to him.

The corpses fall to the floor as Severi's magical blade severs the ancient ropes with ease. As they land the putrid smell is released again into the air.

[Wyzard]

Severi is determined to make a second attempt, now that he has seen through the illusion. He disposes of the bodies in the same manner.

[thirdkingdom]

Severi is determined to make a second attempt, now that he has seen through the illusion. He disposes of the bodies in the same manner.

Yet again, Severi and Thurgan carry the corpses and stuff them out the arrow slits. Yet again, as they turn to leave they find the corpses hanging once more, as they were. For any watching the space over the center of the room, it is as if one moment the air is unoccupied, and an instant later there are the three bodies hanging there. There is no transition, no slow fade-in. There is simply nothing, then something.

[MonsterMash]

Thurgan, dwarf

"This is some dark magic. Best to leave them and rejoin the others then find somewhere else to rest as this make take more power than we have to break the witchcraft".

[Wyzard]

Severi, Elf

"Indeed. If an enchantment cannot be defeated by dint of repeatedly defenestrating the dead, I have no craft to oppose it." Severi gives up the cause as lost and returns to the ground floor.