A Stitch in Souragne: The Siege of Lac Noir

[Ail]

Zumba shakes in his dream. He doesn't like dreaming about the loahs. Always hidden messages there, and danger maybe. He feels someone looking at him in his dream, someone looking for him... and then he is found. He wakes up startled. It might have been the kick in his ribs, it might have been the sudden realization of someone else's perscrutation, it might have been the voice that echoed in his dreams calling his name.

But the fact is he awoke, and with a sense of emergency about him. The landscape is not unfamiliar, but he is unused to it. It seems to be buried in his past, but it had been a long time since he had to sleep in these circumstances. Once again, he is the hunted slave and he gets up with his quarterstaff in his hand, ready to turn in the direction of the coming danger. But all he finds is Vincent alarmed having woken him.

He is ready for the fight, and whirling about to take his surroundings in, he suddenly stops. A zombie comes in his direction. There is something strange in its... no, her attitude. It's... it's... it's not threatening! He stands paralyzed, all at once, this ghastly blackened zombie looks like an ethereal ghost hovering through the night, almost paying no heed to its surroundings.



OOC: I'm sorry, I'm so exhausted I can't give a proper post today. But I tried, just to keep the game going from my side.

[steveflam]

Goren stirs a little during his sleep. Unfortunately, his full nights sleep is cut short by an urgent cry for help.

He sits up quickly, and blinks quickly looking around. He sees his friends first, then the Zombie ... Who ... is ... approaching them! He moves as fast as he can to stand between the Zombie and everyone. His hand reaches for his mace ... then his eyes move back to the wand in Lucien's hand and he stays where he is but does not move.

He turns back to Lucien, expression one of concern Souragnien "Lucien, is weapon control Undead, evil item. I.... I ... no agreeing here. I explosion or scaring undead with my Lathander. I never and I saying, never, I never ever controlling such foul beasts. I am not agreeing at all with you here. No good coming of this and I not happy. Only evil .... evil priest controlling undead!"

Goren stays where he is, hand on his mace.

[Guzrath]

Vincent doesn't see the connection between Lucien and the walking corpse. Even when Goren points it out he has trouble understanding it.
However, he does understand some kind of action has to be taken.

"Let's see how this works out" he says out loud to himself and starts walking towards the corpse weapons in hand. Ready to attack and defend.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Lucien feels a chill of dread and a thrill of power at the same time. The zombies will obey him. Horrible. Magnificent.

Claude suggests mentally, This should certainly make things easier. Having a tireless army at your side... you could accomplish much in the short term. In the long term, well... Lucien wonders, When this is all done, will I be able to give up this control? Could I simply drop the wand and walk away? Or will my subjects follow me wherever I go, seeking orders? Forever.

Souragnien "Lucien, is weapon control Undead, evil item. I.... I ... no agreeing here. I explosion or scaring undead with my Lathander. I never and I saying, never, I never ever controlling such foul beasts. I am not agreeing at all with you here. No good coming of this and I not happy. Only evil .... evil priest controlling undead!"

Lucien's gaze moves from the zombie to the wand. Without looking at Goren, he says in a soft, somber voice, "What would you have us do, Goren? Fight zombies each inch of the way?" There's no anger in his tone. It's more a statement than a question.

"MORE are coming," he continues. "And we can either fight them or command them. And until we do what we came here to do, I choose to command them." He looks up again at the zombie. "Perhaps I'll end up like the zombie general. It can't be helped. Whoever this Lathander is, Goren, please offer your prayers on my behalf. I may need them."

When Vincent decides to test the limits of the zombie's obedience, Lucien nods. He mentally commands the zombie -- and ALL the zombies if he can -- Take no action against this man or the other two men with me. They are allies.

He continues giving orders. Lissa, lead the way to Chicken Bone. To the rest of you-- He sends out his thoughts. --Do not approach. If any of you sees the Cloaked Man on the horse again, then approach and inform me.

____________________________________________
That last sentence might be too complicated for the zombies, but it's worth attempting.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The zombie does not move when Vincent approaches, she just stands there.

Lucien can feel a response from the more distant zombies. It is not so much acknowledgment of his orders, as it is a faint stab of awareness that he is giving orders -- and the zombies' trying to get to him faster.
His order to Lissa meets with difficulty: 'Summoner can not be found. Walls. Comman.'

[Guzrath]

Vincent approaches the corpse not really knowing what to expect. He stares at the corpse, his nose twitching because of the foul smell. Many questions fill his mind, but the first to answer is about illusion.

With his rapier he pierces the corpse somewhere around the stomach. He does not follow with a second blow, but waits to see its reaction and maybe that of Lucien and prepares for a counterstrike.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The zombie just stands there, unmoving, its dead eye fixed on Lucien. When Vincent pulls his rapier out, a thin stream of something liquid and vile-smelling starts to trickle out of the wound. A fattened grub pokes its head out and is carried along by the stream to splash into the muck.

Lucien 'feels' that the zombie has just been weakened, but nothing else.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Lucien winces a bit as Vincent's sword strikes the zombie. He didn't feel pain, per se -- just a bizarre and disturbing empathy, like a corruption of the mental talent that he uses to ascertain the emotions of others. And right now, he senses excitement.

"She's obedient to me," he says to Vincent, Goren, and Zumba. "And other zombies are approaching. Not to attack -- their minds are empty receptacles, eagerly awaiting commands." Despite the tiredness that must still be in his limbs, Lucien smiles thinly. "Unfortunately, she can't point the way to Chicken Bone. He has ... walls of some sort that prevent the zombies from knowing where he is. Hmm. We DO have another problem that they might be able to remove...."

He commands the zombies who can "hear" him, Find the creatures that have the bodies of animals but walk like men. Kill them. Do not leave the swamp.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The zombies' minds receive Lucien's commands, they stop moving -- and the response is a dull incomprehension.

(OOC: You may have control, but they're still zombies. If they could talk, their response would probably be 'Zwuh?')

[Ken of Ghastria]

Lucien frowns. In his mind, Claude suggests, Use simpler words, Lucien. Pretend you're speaking to a dwarf. Normally, Lucien might chide Claude for such comments. Not today.

Kill the beast-men. But do not leave swamp, he commands again.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lucien feels that the zombies are still in place, are listening to him. But still, there is that dull confusion.

(OOC: Intelligence check, DC12.)

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Damn stupid creatures," growls Lucien. He closes his eyes and breathes deeply ... then remembers not to breathe too deeply in the fetid swamp with a rotting zombie standing nearby.

"I'm trying to get the zombies to find the hybrids," he explains to the others, "but apparently even 'beast-men' is beyond their comprehension at the moment. Very well. If they can't take offensive action right now...."

Protect us, he commands. Show me any others who come close. He knows that he can "see" through the eyes of ANY of the zombies.

Turning his attention specifically to the zombie in front of him, he continues, Lissa, show me where you LAST saw Chicken Bone. He says out loud, "There may be a barrier to block the zombie from showing us where Chicken Bone is now, perhaps we can learn where he was."

[Ail]

Zumba approaches Lucien calmly, as an advisor approaches a king.

He nods and smiles, looking at the zombie-woman, in wonder and eager.


"you got ourselves an army, Lucien. Very well, let's use it now. I know the way to Chicken bone, I can lead you there, just tell the zombies to form a circle around us and clear the way. there must be a simple way to say that..."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The Lyssa-zombie's response is dull incomprehension, followed by repetition: 'The summoner can not be found. Command me.'

From the distance, he senses the other zombies continue their trudge towards him. As of yet, they do not see any others of their kind -- but he can feel others start to approach as well.

[Guzrath]

Seeing that the zombie is not reacting Vincent stands down a bit. His mind is racing with opportunities, but also with worries as he finally realises the connection with the wand.
He turns around to face the others, turning his back on the now oozing corpse, walking to them.

Looking at Lucien and then at Goren and back again, a frown on his face, obviously thinking about different options, situations and consequences.
"Messieurs, I must admit that in this specific case I tend to agree with our red-haired companion" he says while sheathing his weapons. "That is a very powerful thing you have there Lucien." he says with a pause. "Admittedly, you do seem like the kind who is not unfamiliar with this type of bad influence and power. We are now in the middle of a swamp, surrounding by everything this wand represents, or the other way around if you like." he says, his arms slowly moving to accentuate his meaning. "Now, although there can discussions about the theological viewpoint on this, I do believe, monsieur, you might want to consider getting rid of it, before a discussion starts about fighting fire with fire." he says laughingly.
He looks at Zumba "And frankly, I'm surprised you support this Zumba" he adds with a kind smile.