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"What foul apparation is this?" asks Pelias aloud. He turns to Grothnak. "I will walk towards the others. Do me the honor of following, if you will."

Pelias will follow the arc of distributed allies, making his way to the road. As soon as the phantom is within range, the paladin will attempt to detect evil emanations from the thing.

Grothnak nods silently and follows the paladin.

Grey Mouser, thief

The gray-cloaked rogue from far Newhon creeps forward 20' northwest to the edge, hiding behind a tree with weapons out. From behind the tree he spies the creature as it passes.

Bo the Druid moves southeast into the trees about 20 feet, trying to stay behind the others and keep track of where each of them went. He turns to see what the phantasm is doing, preparing a spell if necessary.

We shouldn't be splitting up like this. Strength in numbers and all that.

Hoom Feethos:

After warning the others of the strange figure approaching from the east, Hoom moves off to the left (north) of the road into the woods. Concealing himself in the underbrush, he wait until the figure moves past watching as it does.

Shadows and Fog:




Hoom warned his friends and then darted across the caravan track and took cover in the woods north of the trail. (Please roll Hide in Shadows at +60% for darkness, fog and trees)
Pelias and Grothnak doubled back toward the trail as Long Bo moved forward to meet them near Ingrid.
The Grey Mouser tied his horse to a tree, set the feedbag, and quietly crept back to the trail get a look from behind a tree.

Beneath the full moon, between the dark branches and boughs, the adventurers watched the phantom apparition become more and more tangible as it advanced upon them, until it emerged from the swirling mist, fully formed and real as life, completing a journey from eerie figment to living nightmare. Except it wasn’t alive.
The mysterious shadow was a ghastly undead monstrosity, damned to walk the earth in an unholy mockery of the living.

The heroes were suddenly attacked by the unmistakable stench of death; ripe, sickening and sweet.
Then their eyes were likewise besieged. The macabre horror’s bleached, pallid skull held rotting, worm-eaten strips of cartilage and flesh, hanging limply from some once proud visage.

The adventurers blinked in astonished recognition. The living, decaying cadaver had once been a goblin. And around its slit throat clung the tattered ruin of a cloak whose color had once been bright red.



The graveyard orc (Z35) wasn’t alone.

Behind it were two more grisly, bloodsoaked corpses that walked. (Z36-37) In life, they had been men.




Pelias the Paladin attempted to detect evil and sensed no emanations of any kind from the undead abominations.

The unholy carrion detected Bo, Grothnak, Ingrid and Pelias (and possibly Hoom, tbd).
They growled deep in the ruined remains of their cut throats and...
Suddenly the heroes heard yelling! Telkis the Gnome was shouting urgently, to the south! The fog dissipated his voice, spreading it thin, making its exact location and message unclear. But his tone was unmistakable.

The charnel terrors also heard it and snarled.

Suddenly there were footfalls within the forest beyond the mist! The living corpses on the caravan track weren’t alone! Ingrid saw more shadows in the woods south of the trail (at '?') and warned her companions. Hoom saw more shadows among the trees and fog north of the trail (at '?').

Actions?


Map: DM Notes: Status:
The Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4(5), HP 10/10, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 15/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 5/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 2: AC 3(1), HP 9/12, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl (Ingrid hasn’t cast Purify Food and Water yet.)
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 15/15, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 1: AC 2, HP 11/11

Magic:
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.

"To arms! The dead walk! Let us send these abominations to their second rest!" cries Pelias.

He will wait for the others to discharge missile fire then will charge Z37 with his longsword, shield held high.

Hoom Feethos

Hearing the cries of Pelias Hoom knows that hiding was not going to suffice. The undead have an uncanny way of seeing the living. Hoom leaps up from his position and runs at full speed in the direction of the called voice. His only hope of survival is with the group, without them he would be an easy target for the monstrosities.

OCC: Full run across the road into the woods to the south in hopes of finding the others in the dark.

The Grey Fumbler, thief

"Ppsssttt!" whispers Mouser to Hoom as he see the magic-user cross over into the woods.

The alleged adventurer steps out just quick enough to fire his sling at an undead (the ? to the left of Z36), then darts behind the tree again praying to the gods he wasn't seen. Hoping the yell of Pelias to the north will attract the walking dead.

Bo casts more snaring magic, trying to prevent the entire herd of undead monstrosities from advancing and attacking.

He will try to Entangle the ones he can see on the trail and hopes that the others behind them also wander into his target area. Noticing the fighters charging, he attempts to let the first orc zombie just escape the area, attempting to avoid ensnaring any of his friends.

It would seem that someone doesn't want us to ever reach the doomed Briarsgate.

Gorthnak snorts, and shouts in orcish. He joins the paladin's charge, running directly at the creature that was once an orc.

Vadok (Halberd +1) (THAC0 19): [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13, Dmg [1d10+4] = 5+4 = 9 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 8+4 = 12 (L)

Ingrid Esthof, Cleric

The rotting abominations materialized out of the evil fog, it seems. Reanimated orks and humans - in unlife these fierce enemies are reconciled. Ingrid smiles at the grotesque and untimely thought for a split-second... Then she takes a step forward, cast out her arms and starts chanting. Her spell is a weird one: a mix between liturgy and folklore:

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,
rotten meat and iron's rust!
Foul spirits, you I banish,
by Trithereon's name, you shall perish!"

Roll: Turn undead [1d20] = 6

Her voice is struggling against the smothering fog of Dim Forest...

Shadows and Fog: Round 2

Telkis the gnome's urgent cries suddenly stopped!

The Grey Mouser stepped out into the caravan track to sling a stone at one of the loathsome horrors and fumbled, hurling his sling with his stone (to ‘S’)!

Ingrid Esthof of Trithereon dismounted, tied her horse, and moved to the road's edge to turn these foul creatures back to the abyss that spawned them and found their unholy evil too powerful to overcome!

Long Bo the Druid cast a magic spell and green roots, shoots and vines exploded from the center of the caravan track! He wanted to keep the goblin cadaver (Z35) out of its effect, and targeted the human carrion behind him (Z36), engulfing it in plant life that trapped its unliving body in a prison of the green! Its fleshless skull screamed unceasingly.

Hoom Feethos the Elf ran back across the trail to rejoin the others, finding Long Bo and two horses within the shadows and mist with his infravision.

“SKRAAA!!!” Milah the hawk (M), Elden Vodarte’s bird of prey, suddenly soared in from the east, crying repeatedly!

Pelias the Paladin charged through the woods at the human zombie that held an axe (Z37), and ran him through with his longsword! The necrotic terror shrieked blood and crashed to the ground!

Grothnak joined Pelias’ charge, running straight at the Red Cloak revenent (Z35), hacking a diagonal crimson trench from shoulder to gut with Vadok the halberd, killing it dead!

The two living dead, instantly killed by twin death blows, fell back into the area writhing with animated weeds and stalks and were both quickly bound by grasping, smothering branches!
But right behind them came more unholy cadavers to take their accursed place.

A gruesome, ruined carcass of an elf (Z33) who still held a bow and sword lumbered forward from the treeline north of the trail and staggered toward Grothnak!
His path unknowingly brought him near Long Bo's entangling enchantment! Blind, errant vines strained and reached for the undead elf as it skirted the very edge of their hungry perimeter, unawares of any danger. The heinous scourge closed with Grothnak, chopping at the half-orc warrior's head with a rusted, jagged blade and missing; stray, green fingerling tendrils interfering with its sword arc.

An old man (Z32) whose dead, gaping maw was an open wound, alive and festering with crawling maggots, also emerged from the northern thicket and attacked Grothnak, trying to rip his jugular vein with its filthy claws!
The rotten nails found purchase and torn open Grothnak's neck in a scarlet spray! (8 hp damage!)
Two more undead terrors stalked forward from the southern mists (Z39, Z40)!



A second dead elven adventurer’s unquiet remains (Z39) lurched at Pelias Blanchflower and tried to grab him with one cold dead hand and missed!

A cemetery bride in a rotting veil that thankfully obscured her horrific face (Z40) wailed like a banshee as she tried to claw the flesh from Pelais' bones! The young paladin's blessed magic shield sheltered him from that attack as well!

The Mouser spied more movement north of the path (at '?')!
And from the east, more grisly, disturbing, walking dead staggered forth from the misty trail beyond! (Z34, Z38]





Actions?

DM Notes: Status:
The Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4(5), HP 10/10, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 7/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 5/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 2: AC 3(1), HP 9/12, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 15/15, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl and 1/2 2nd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 1: AC 2, HP 11/11

Magic:
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
Entangle (Bo): Any creature that is dark green is entangled for 9 more minutes (Z36)

The wailing of the zombie bride vexes Pelias. Shield held high, he cries out "In the name of Heironeus, I bid you to return to your eternal rest!" and slashes at her with his sword.

Grey Mouser, lurker in dark woods

Mouser shakes his head as he watches his sling fly off into the woods. Damn nature air, all these trees, give me the city. The thief darts back behind the tree and creeps forward north about 20' through the dark concealing woods to the edge of the trees behind a zombie (Z32) The zombie is occupied with the half-orc.

Grey Mouser back-stabs it with Scalpel. Then melts back into the forest behind him.

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

"Be the creation of a lasting curse, strigoi witchery or pure evil, no two ghouls are alike - they all bear a shade of semblance to their living body... but nothing more. There is nothing living left in them," Ingrid recalls the teachings of her friend, Henri Kolde. Indeed, the vast array of undead populating this forsaken forest would be a wonderful case study... but Ingrid also recalls, that the old scholar Kolde preferred to study immobilized specimen...

Ingrid is startled by a swift shadow jumping out from the swirling mists and she almost instantly hurls her mace against it, then she realizes that it isn't another abomination, but the Grey Mouser... The next moment, the sneaky thief is gone. Ingrid assesses the state of the encounter: all her companions are held up in fights or missing. They have to finish off these monsters as fast as they can and search for the others. This wicked fog...

Pelias is coping well (with the help of his god), so Ingrid tightens her grip on her mace & shield and attacks the nearest zombie (Z32 (if it's still alive after the Mouser's backstab) or Z33).

Mace (THAC0: 20): To Hit: [1d20] = 16, damage: small [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5 / large [1d6] = 2

Hoom Feethos:

Thanks to Grey Mouser signaling, Hoom luckly finds the group, stopping next to Bo. "We have more the the North and to the West. They are all around us." Hoom pausing a moment and looking around "Where's Telkis & Elden? Have they fallen?" Hoom draws his short sword and holds his position facing the west.

Bo responds to the elf as he begins moving towards the sounds of battle.

We must make sure we are not completely surrounded by them. I have no idea where the others went off to. I can't see anything in this blasted mist. I'm going in to help the fighters.

Bo moves through the trees to where Grothnak is surrounded. He stabs at one of the disgusting creatures. Z32

Spear Attack [1d20] = 16 Damage [1d6] = 1

Shadows and Fog: Round 3

Telkis’ shouts could be heard again, shorter this time, echoing and fragmented from the south!

“SKRAAA!” urgently repeated Milah the Hawk (M)!

Hoom the Elf gave a brief report to Long Bo, drew his sword and held his position in the woods by the two tied horses. (H’s)

The Grey Mouser crept forward through the forest’s dark shadows and silently ran his sword through the back of the old carrion who had clawed Grothnak’s neck (Z32)! Scalpel’s tip emerged out from the horror’s chest, killing it, much to the satisfaction of the half-orc warrior.

Grothnak Uthglukh hacked his enchanted halberd through the undead carcass of the elven archer (Z33) splitting it in twain! The thing collapsed to the ground in two red, wet halves that writhed and trembled and then were still.

Pelias the holy warrior called upon his righteous lord as he cut down the cadaverous unliving bride (Z40), silencing her bloodcurdling screams! She fell to the forest floor and her veil flew back revealing her horrific face, now, in death, graced with an aspect of some peace at last.



Long Bo the Druid and Ingrid the Cleric joined the fray! The two acolytes both closed on the lone remaining horror nearby (Z39)! They both smite it, with spear and mace, almost killing the remains of the elven adventurer, but the thing fought on!

The rotting elf (Z39) lunged back, awkward and ungainly with its rusted sword at Long Bo, striking a strange, fell-handed blow upon the priest of nature (10 hp!)!

To the east, the walking corpse whose gaping, open wound bled from face to gut (Z34) staggered toward the bloodbath with evil intent and was quickly engulfed by enchanted roots and branches until it was paralyzed unmoving!

The shadow in the mist north of the trail emerged into view, another walking charnel house (Z31), this one older than the others to judge from its deteriorated raiments… and flesh.
It stalked into the fight, closing in on Grothnak who was surrounded now by fallen undead. The pale skinless terror tried to bite the half-orc’s face and missed!

The nigh-headless horror (Z38) lurched onward, attacking Pelias Blanchflower with merciless, feral claws, slashing open his stomach, nearly killing him in one blow! (8hp)!

To the east, Ingrid and Pelias saw another shadow emerging from the mist (at ‘?’)!

Actions?!
DM Notes: Status:
The Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4(5), HP 10/10, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 7/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 5/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 2: AC 3(1), HP 9/12, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 5/15, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl and 1/2 2nd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 1: AC 2, HP 3/11

Magic:
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
Entangle (Bo): Any creature that is dark green is entangled for 8 more minutes (Z36, Z34)

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom stand guard for the horses with his short sword drawn and his eyes fixed on the west.