A Stitch in Souragne - La Rue des Tristepas

[Ail]

Listening to the others, and after he's sure the creature is under control, Zumba relaxes just a bit and says, loud enough that everyone can hear despite being still laying on the ground.

"The apparent 'master' was dressed in Ezran green and white robes. And not a minute ago, I saw a twinkle of those colous atop the temple. It vanished quickly, but the children who were nearby ran away in fear. I think this danger is far nearer than you all think."

[Guzrath]

Vincent sees how Lucien and Zumba have the situation under control. He sheaths his weapons and relaxes. His eyes suddenly widen as he hears Zumba throwing oil on the fire. He almost feels like shrinking, as if a massive headache hits him, as he hears the words "And not a minute ago, I saw a twinkle of those colours atop the temple. It vanished quickly, but the children who were nearby ran away in fear. I think this danger is far nearer than you all think."

He looks at the people who are running away from the scene, some still screaming and Goren trying to calm them. He stares at Zumba angrily with his green eyes. "Nice choice of words" he says in a controlled angry tone, dripping with sarcasm. He stretches out his hand to Zumba, palm open "Give me the Sentire's letter" he orders.
Vincent observes the whole scene again, Goren running around using his limited knowledge of the language to calm people of the frightening creature he was part of to bring along in de coach. A beast that screams and wriggles and is considered unnatural. Zumba who accuses a man of the church to be responsible for this whole situation, while we brought it along before their very holy place.
Lucien seems to Vincent the only one to act normally.

While waiting for the order his faces turns from angry to a smile as he shakes his head at how the whole situation was turned upside down within several moments and with several words.
Time to change his act.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

In all the commotion, Vincent is the only one out of the party not to hear the fateful words from on high: "Florim obscurum tuum video[1]."

Goren, Lucien and Zumba do hear. The sinister chant draws their eyes upwards. And so they do see the figure standing on the Temple's roof. Decked out in resplendent white and green, the hood drawn down over his face, he is familiar to all but Lucien. The hand crossbow lying rock-steady in his hands is a familiar sight to anyone -- here is a finely-honed weapon, made to kill things.

All of you see, however, that this apparition is not the only threat to suddenly materialize. They come shuffling around the Temple, lurching forward out of the shadows. Their eyes and mouths have been stitched shut, sharp metal blades have been welded to their fingertips. Their skin is grey and they moan softly as they approach.

The Stitched Man's zombies. The killers of Cleric and Voodan alike, of all who hold true faith.

([1]"I see your dark core"; Spellcraft check of 16 to identify.)

(OOC: To make up for a long absence, I thought I'd return with a bang! It's combat time! Thirty zombies are approaching, and the Man In White is ready to fire a hand crossbow at someone. Everyone except Vincent is aware of the Man In White, so he can't act against him. Everyone is aware of the zombies and can act against them.

Gentlemen, roll your initiatives!)

[Ail]

OOC: Zumba init - 1d20+3 = 13

Statement of intention:
Zumba will try to climb the temple in the direction of the figure in green and white. He will tumble if necessary to avoid zombies but for the most part he will head straight to the nearest wall and climb it. He'll apply the Daredevil Athlete feat again this day to the climb roll.

However, I will wait to know who acts first.

[steveflam]

Goren us surprised but quickly recovers at the sight of the zombies. Anyone looking at his face will be surprised to see a grin. Gripping his holy symbol tightly and brandishing it in front of him confidently he yells at the approaching zombiesChondonthan "Back! Back whence you came, foul spawn of evil! The power of Lathander compels you. BEGONEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


Souragnien "True strike, true strike!!!! He points at the White Robed man with his other hand.


Initiative: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2844973/ 7


Spellcraft: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2844977/ 23


Turning: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2844994/ 17

[Guzrath]

Vincent was still waiting for the letter, but so lost in thought that he didn't notice the noise from above. However, the shuffling masses do not go unnoticed. As soon as he notices them he drops to one knee, unslinging his pack of stuff, hand reaching inside to grab something.

OOC: Initiative 20

[Ken of Ghastria]

Lucien pauses for a moment to mutter, "'I see your dark core'? Who the--" before he realizes that a more imminent threat is present! Aren't you supposed to warn me about these things? No. Don't think about the zombies. Think about what you just heard.

He then realizes what the hooded man is planning to do with the hand crossbow. "It's a spell for accuracy! True Strike!" he yells. "He's going to silence the creature!" Seeing Zumba nimbly climbing the wall, he calls out, "Don't let him fire!" He meets the gaze of Belhomme and Warden Sarosse, hoping that they understand what's at stake and react appropriately. He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a small white gem, purchased from an insane monk in Lechberg. "White is its color, black is its power -- what color are you, Jetté?"

Ignoring the stench from the approaching undead, he turns his back on them and hurls the gem at the hooded man. Incredibly, despite the distance, the pearl flies unerringly toward its target.

______________________
Spellcraft check (1d20+7=16)

Initiative (1d20+3=4)

Standard: Lucien hurls his Breath Crisis Pearl at the hooded man. (Goodbye, pricey one-use item! But it seems appropriate here.) It can be hurled at any visible target within 150 feet. If the hooded man fails a DC 14 Will save, the pearl seems to impact and then enter his flesh. He is then affected as if by crisis of breath for 5 minutes.

[Ail]

Well, Zumba dodges the white-green figure atop the temple while he runs for it, but I'm still waiting to know the order of actions.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Zumba scampers up the building toward the Man In White. Time seems to slow down as he approaches the foe. It slows down... and abruptly contracts with the sound of a bowstring's snap. The eagle-beaked monstrosity throws back its head and shrieks -- and then its human eyes roll for one last time. The arrow's shaft is protruding from the back creature's skull. Whatever pain it suffered is over now.

The Man In White, seeing Zumba coming for him, snorts contemptuously and somersaults up higher onto the roof, increasing the distance between them. "Come, if you dare," he hisses. He has exchanged his handbow for his silver longsword. The blade gleams with painful brightness under the sun of unending summer.

Vincent is well in position to do whatever he is planning to do with what he was digging for in his equipment. (Translation: two standard actions and one move action in your next post.)

Likewise Zumba is making good progress up the Temple's exterior. (It's a long way up, so I'm going to rule it took you the full round to get up there.) He reaches the place the Man In White was standing just before he whirls away.

Goren's holy challenge blasts into the zombies like a battering ram. The bright light of the sun seems to thicken into amber, then quicken into flame around their shambling forms... and it does nothing. Nothing, that is, except focus the full attention of the shambling horde on the Cleric. Moaning hungrily, the grey bodies start to shamble directly towards him. Despair claws at Goren's mind at this spectacle. (Goren, please make a Horror check to the DC of 17.) The undead raise their 'claws' at the priest as they approach, the dull metal gleaming as evilly as the sword of the Man In White.

Lucien's pearl flies high, higher - when the Man In White tumbles away, the pearl somehow manages to follow him and slams into his body. The Man In White gags, chokes, and staggers with surprise.

Lost and alone, the body of the creature starts to fall apart. Within moments, the horribly incomplete corpse of a middle-aged Souragnien is lying inside the malformed armour that protected the creature's bulk. It shares this ugly shelter with pieces of some great bird. An eagle, mayhap.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Lucien takes grim satisfaction in the belief that his pearl has struck its target. He hopes it'll give Zumba a significant advantage. Goren clearly needs help, though! As he steps forward to aid the oddly speaking cleric, he realizes something about the zombies' smell...

"Goren!" he shouts. "They're not animated flesh! I think they're ... PLANTS!" Picking a spot where he can strike many of the creatures, he extends his hands -- and immediately a scintillating shower of razor-sharp crystals bursts forth, slicing through the zombies.

____________________________
Move: Get closer to Goren.
Standard: Affect as many of the "zombies" as possible with Swarm of Crystals. Expending 4 power points: 4d4=11 slashing damage; 15-foot cone, no save.

[steveflam]

Goren's eyes go wide in terror when he sees his attempt fails. Gathering resolve, he recovers quick enough, however. Moving back out the Zombies reach he casts Bless.

Keeping out of the Zombies range this turn so he can cast Bless to benefit everyone in the party.

[Guzrath]

Vincent crouches down, hand reaching inside his sack looking for the right thing. He is glad to find it quickly.
He grabs a flask with a reddish liquid looks at the zombies and throws the flask right to them.

The bottle explodes as it hit a target, right in the middle of the group of wandering corpses.

He then takes a few steps back to create some distance between him and the zombies. He wriggles his nose in disgust. As they come closer it seems Vincent is shocked. He stares wide-eyed at the zombies as if the sight is his first. He regains his composure quickly and grabs something else from the sack.

OOC: Throw Alchemist's Fire 23
Damage 3

[Ail]

Zumba sees the man in white leap out of this reach, but then be hit by something of a flying ball, something he can not really see or understand.
But he catches a sight of fear and surprise in the man in white. He doubles his efforts and tries to close in as fast as he can.

OOC: I don't exactly know the possibilities here, so please choose the one most suitable.

1) if possible, Zumba holds the quarterstaff. If he needs both hands to climb, he will make unarmed attacks when he closes in

2) if possible, Zumba moves and strikes. Otherwise, just move to the level of the man in white, and look before deciding what to do next.
Is there a platform where Zumba and the other can stand?
How tall is the building? That is, if someone fell off the ground here, how much would the fall be?

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The Man In White continues to gag and generally make distressed noises while he backs away. When Zumba leaps up to face this enemy, he sees that both he and the white-clad killer have even footing; this part of the Temple's roof is even, though slightly concave. A gutter to the south is clearly meant to funnel any rain water that falls on this part of the roof away to a waiting container. Closer scrutiny reveals that all of the roof is like this; the angled sections feature runnels for precious, precious water to be filtered down.

Seeing Zumba coming, the Man In White makes an angry, snarling noise and -- runs. He leaps up onto a higher level of the roof and ducks behind what looks like a chimney. It is only a small leap for Zumba to pursue this foe, easy enough for him to hold his balance. A jump, a turn -- and Zumba finds himself facing not one, but two Men In White. They are the exact same height. They wear the exact same clothing. They wield identical silver longswords, which are pointed at the Capoeira even now... (Zumba, please make a Spot check, DC15. And to answer your latest question, the building is high enough that should you fall, you'd better hope you don't land on your head...)
_____________________________________

Goren's spell goes off without a hitch. The warm glow of Lathander's light envelops everyone within range of his Bless spell, filling them with fresh strength for the upcoming battle. Its glow shines brightly -- especially on the shambling monstrosities moving forward even now. Suddenly, Goren can feel a blasphemous tugging, as if something is pulling on the magic. (Goren, make a Concentration check, DC17!)
_____________________________________

Lucien's power scythes into the oncoming monsters, slicing more than two thirds of them! Gobbets of flesh and shards of bone fly, as black blood runs down the shamblers' bodies. But on the creatures come, moving in on both Lucien and Goren. Their faces contort hideously, and with mounting horror you realize that if not for the stitches, the zombies would be grinning.
_____________________________________

Vincent's flask of alchemist fire takes some more of the starch out of the monsters moving at his allies. Smouldering, reeking of burned flesh, the creatures march on. Except for three at the back, who have managed to avoid both the slicing crystals and the fire by some stroke of luck. No, they do not march. They run.

Suddenly, Vincent finds himself beset as the three ghoulish creatures close the distance with quick, loping strides, surround him and slash at him with their metal claws! It is a testament to Vincent's agility that they do not all manage to hit him -- just two of the three... (Vincent takes 13 damage!)
_____________________________________

DM Corner:
Goren: A-okay.
Lucien: A-okay.
Man In White #1: Crisis of Breath.
Man In White #2: A-okay!
Vincent: -13 hp
Zombies: 20 -14 hp. / 7 -11 hp. / 3 A-okay!
Zumba: A-okay!

[Ail]

Zumba quickly appreciates the situation. Standing on the edge does not look good, even for one as athletic as himself, so he decides he should rather move inside. His first thought at the two figures in white was simply Sorcery!. His second was like wait a minute!

Yes, he could see it clearly now, one of those images is false, and I know just which one it is!

Or so he believes at least. Aiming at the one with dust on his boots, he closes in, quarterstaff in hand, and if possible, he attacks. Concentrating, suddenly a glow erupts from his hands and feet. He advances cautiously, holding the staff with his left hand, and attacks with a kick.


OOC: move action to cover the distance to the man in white
free action to use Fiery Fist. Makes an unarmed attack after that, but holding the staff. He can attack with the other hand or even feet.

Attack: roll (1d20+5): 12 + 5 = 17
Damage: 1d6+2: 7
eventual fiery damage: 3
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