Café de Nuit

"We most definitely will Burdur, but first we have to defeat these undead that could paralyze Captain Esteanhor...we need to find away to attack them from distance and avoid having them in close combat."

Esthenor shrugs. "I've there have been more of these maggot-filled horrors down here, I would be dead already."

"I agree," says Van. "He was unconscious, helpless.... If there were more ghouls nearby, they would have... found him. Let's check it out."

Kimber watches silently, as do both her companions. They seem to sit or flit as usual, but anyone paying close attention will be aware that they seem to be paying more attention than usual

"Follow me" Esthenor says leading the group up the stairs. He notices the trap and the table. "Clever... I haven't thought of that" he remarks. Then he moves into one of the openings of the corridor, climbing a short but steep flight of stairs. He takes a few steps and stops at an intersection; the chanting is heard louder here. The captain addresses the party, facing them. "The hidden entrance is up the..."

A shower of dirt covers the Rebel captain as suddenly creatures, humanoid, rotten creatures with sharp fangs and long claws burst from the earth and walls all around him. They wear the black cultist robes, soiled by the dirt they've been buried into. The party has no time to wonder for how long they've been interned in their shallow graves as the creatures move to attack with growls of sadistic glee.
The first two fall on the captain with fang and claw before he has a chance to realize what's happening. The attacks immediately paralyze the veteran warrior and he drops on the floor. A few twitches of his fingers and drowned out cries is all the sound he can make before paralysis completely overcomes him.
The party hears more clawed legs rushing and within a second two more ghouls join the others and move to attack!

Van sees Captain Estenhor paralyzed in front of him and more ghouls arrive.

"Go back! We can't fight here."

As Van speaks one of the ghouls arriving at the scene pass over the captain's twitching body as he falls and attacks Van, its claws narrowly missing the warrior's face.

Kimber's lips part, but it is another voice entirely that emerges, that of a scared but determined little boy

"We can't just leave him! We have to save him!"

One of the ghouls that have put down Captain Esthenor, a rotten but animate corpse of a plump woman, looks up with surprise. Voice devoid of mercy or kindness leaves her bloated purple lips.
"Thorn? I am sure your flesh is supple and delicious. My brother was always too kind with you. Your flesh will die as will your friend's. You seem so tasty..." the ghouls says in a simplistic, raspy voice. Obviously her mental state has been damaged by the transition from cannibalistic cultist to undeath.

Vorj shouts to the others, "Get back! We're outnumbered and he's done for! Back! I'll cover you!"

____________

Vorj will use the Dodge action and let the others retreat back the way they came, and then he'll follow.

Kimber steps back, muttering a spell, and then begins to glow slightly. The sinuous shape lifts off from her right shoulder and hovers above and behind Vorj, while the plump furry bundle on her other shoulder seem to get even plumper, then contracts suddenly, projecting a spray of colourless liquid and the speaking ghoul...

Acid douses the first ghoul, that addressed thorn and she hisses as steam raises from her rapidly dissolving undead flesh. Van gets the opportunity to strike at the ghoul left hand leading. One scimitar manages to pass the ghoul's distracted attempts to block and slices a deep wound on her belly. Black, foul smelling bile mixes with the dirt on the ghoul's clothes as the fighter rapidly darts away and down the stairs.

As Van rushes down the stairs, Burdur climbs up a few steps, holy symbol in hand. The dwarf cleric seems angry and determined. "By the grace of Moradin, BEGONE FOUL THINGS" he shouts and his holy symbol glows brightly. The ghouls screech and shield their eyes, their knees buckling in front of that cathartic, divine light. Two have had enough and turn and run away, the power of the cleric robbing them of their free will and need to feed and fight.

Two remain.

The first one, the wounded ghoul that was once a cultist, launches herself with hate on the paladin. While Vorj manages to block the claws that carry the paralysis curse, the ghoul buries its long sharp teeth on a weak spot on the paladin's armor thrashing with mad fury and hate, tearing up flesh, breaking chain links and spraying the walls with Vorj's blood.

The second one... grabs the paralyzed captain by the legs, and draws him under itself. With a wicked smile to the paladin, it raises two clawed fingers in a v sign... and suddenly jabs them directly on the helpless man's face, hooking his eyes on its talons before yanking them out and devouring them, having permanently blinded the captain!

Vorj growls, "NO! Fear me, undead wretches! Your souls will burn in torment for this!" He summons the power of his god, Piris, and he brings his greataxe down upon the ghoul that just attacked him.

______________

Bonus Action: Vorj casts wrathful smite.
Action: Attack the ghoul that attacked him. [dice]0[/dice] + 4 = 21.
Damage: [dice]1[/dice] + 2 = 8.
Plus psychic damage from Wrathful Smite: [dice]2[/dice].
The ghoul must also make a Wisdom save (DC 12) or be frightened of Vorj until the spell ends.

The ghoul raises an arm in an attempt to block, but the righteous fury of Vorj carries through and the blade cuts clean the clawed fingers of the undead. The fat woman ghoul whimpers as the charged axe is buried in her collarbone. She makes a feeble attempt to claw at the paladin, but the unholy curse that keeps the corpse walking and seeking the sweet flesh of the living is already unraveled. She collapses on the floor, properly dead.
The ghoul behind her, smiles wickedly. No show of fear or even anger as his companion was destroyed. It raises over the paralyzed body of the blind captain ready to meet the assailant.

Van uses the time to push his way to the front of the line and takes two swipes against the ghoul, although they both miss.
The dwarf cleric can be barely seen from the top of the stairs as he moves behind Vorj and prays to Moradin. The ghoul distracted by Van, doesn't move away from the bolt of radiant energy that drops on it. Burdur then retreats back, leaving the way open for Kimber to intervene.

Chutney spits a bolt of acid against the ghoul that misses, while Kimber chants and gathers a bolt of fire that she throws against the ghoul fighting Van. The movements of the people in her front though, make it difficult for her to get a good aim, and the elf's attack barely misses Van's head.
Van is momentarily distracted by the magic energies that come from his back and doesn't manage to block the ghoul's claws. Sharp talons cut deep into the warrior's arm carrying with them the risk for paralysis. Slowed by the pain, the fighter doesn't manage to defend in time as the ghoul, emboldened by its successes lunges on the big man. Van can smell the rot and decay in the ghoul's mouth for a split second before it buries its sharp teeth on the exposed part of Van's collarbone. Blood runs down the fighter's torso, as the undead tears flesh and armor but the pain, shock and fear help Van resist the magical paralysis.


Wrong thread, and I can't delete it
Kimber's attack roll:
[dice]0[/dice]
Missed.