"Just a thought," says Kraken. "But how many of those stone deadfellas did they send down the valley?" He pauses and grins. "Stone dead, eh?"
"Anyway, last time we fought them they were tough buggers, and you say the dogs are the same thing, Midian mate? Why don't we stop these wandering ones first and see what affects 'em? The lady reckons they ain't proper deadfellas, but I'd still like to see if my chant works against them. Or the shattering chant otherwise. It'd be better to do that with a couple we can catch on their own than risking it against a whole camp. And we might stop them getting to anyone else, eh?"
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The remaining sailors and mercenaries were going to create a base on the shore of the island. They weren't entirely defenseless, as there were another 8 mercs that stayed behind along with Johan, Seria, and Raysuldra.
"The cliff is something on the order of 100' tall," the druid tells Whisper. "What did you have planned?"
To the suggestion they go undead hunting, Midian shudders slightly. "It might tell us something, though I wonder if this set weren't sent out to find the first that we destroyed. Taking out these may confirm our existence to the camp. But I'm willing to try whatever the group feels is the best plan. Green knows the world won't be worse off for two fewer of those monstrosities."
OOC - So that's two for attacking the undead in the jungle, 1 for either course, and 1 for infiltrating the camp. If there aren't any other comments one way or the other I'll send you out after the undead saturday morning.
During the night you setup watches to observe the camp while you rest. The camp is largely quiet, though you see that the guards continue to patrol throughout the night. The night is cool without a fire and the humming insects swarm you throughout the night.
When morning arrives everyone is itchy with bug bites but at least the evening was uneventful. Midian and Kraken lead the way as you set out to pick up the trail of the undead. It takes a few hours to work your way down into the valley and almost as long to find their trail. There are four tracks on the trail. They head in a straight line roughly southeast for a mile before suddenly swerving off to the south. Shortly thereafter you come across a grisly scene. Several badly mutilated animal bodies lie before you. They look like some kind of wild pig. After examining the bodies you notice that the tusks and lower jaws from the bodies have been removed along with the hooves and some of the larger internal bones and some tendons. The trail returns to the original path and continues onward for almost two miles farther. Suddenly Midian raises a hand to signal a halt and turns his head to listen. Everyone strains to hear for a moment. A cry makes your heart leap. Somewhere ahead an almost human cry of pain sounds again. The sounds of simian warning calls joins the sound.
Moving forward cautiously, you advance towards where you heard the sound. Up ahead you catch sight of them. It looks like they caught a small tribe of apes on the ground away from the safety of the trees. The rest of the tribe are up in the canopy shrieking in anger at them. Occasionally one of them throws a stick down but the undead ignore them. They are in the process of removing the long arms and adding it to a pile one of the creatures in holding. They way they move and work together seems unusually intelligent for skeletons. No two look exactly alike, though they all share the same general features. An elongated skull with rows of a variety of sharp teeth, long limbs, and claws hands and feet. It seems that the noise the apes are making is covering your approach. You are about 30' away with some light brush and trees between you and them.
"I supppose 'run up and hit them lots' doesn't count as a plan, eh?" asks Kraken. "Last time these things were pretty tough to take down, and they can dish out lots of damage too, take it from me, eh? I can ask the spirits to bless us, that'll give us an edge in combat. There are three things I want to test on these things - me deadfella chant, me shattering spell and this new bracelet thingy, probably in that order.
"Glaive mate, you're pretty handy in a stand-up fight, reckon you and me double team as much as we can, that way we'll take each bugger down faster. Maybe Midian's monkey can help too. The rest of you, stay back and use your chants."
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AC 19 (T13, FF16), HP 46/46, F +5,R+5,W+5
Eldritch blast: +6/+7, 3d6 damage
After awakening and seeing the others scratching their bites, Glaive thinks: At least the rough hide, that now is my skin protects me from that...
------
"Sounds like a plan . I will try out my words that will shatter crystal as we moving close, too. For the close up fight, I need a bit dostance with my polearm to be effective. Let's hope, the chants work."
Glaive says to Kraken.
ooc
When starting the attack, Glaive uses Baleful Utterance at the undead, targetting their supposed 'Power Crystal' (same effect as the Shatter spell.
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"I can bolster the strength of one of you before you attack, and litter the field with animals to draw their attention and help surround them," Midian offers.
OOC
Barkskin and Bull's Strength, and Summon Nature's Ally spells (Not sure if it's better to call a bunch of little critters or one big one., but either way it adds some distractions and possibly damage.)
Whisper smirks...she still hasn't put her mask back on, though she's been wearing the face of a rather plain human woman since her near-death.
"I've been working on something new," she says quietly. "My old arcane blast wasn't powerful enough for these enemies. Let me lead off before you go charging in. My first attack will not be...discriminate. Once it finishes you'll have a decided advantage."
Spoiler:
Whisper will start off with a Glitterdust to try to blind all of the undead before the others close in to melee range.
OOC - Give me initiative checks and your surprise round actions when you're ready. Whisper will start at the top if everyone is waiting for her spell to go off.
Kraken mutters "Spirits of our ancestors, guide us and guard us. With our deeds we shall honour you." He looks at the others. "Ready when you are, mates."
He waits until Whisper has cast her spell, then he stands up out of hiding and announces in a strong, clear voice:
"Deadfella walking, go back to the grave.
Deadfella walking, the land of the living is not for you."
Spells prepared for today:
0th level (Save DC 12) – Detect magic, guidance, resistance (x2).
1st level (Save DC 13) – Bless, obscuring mist*, remove fear, sanctuary.
2nd level (Save DC 14) – Lesser restoration, shatter*.
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Midian touches Kraken, and the druid's voice is a series of huffs and snorts. Kraken's body courses with extra strength as Midian finishes his ritual. Once he's finished that, Midian begins a second chant, and the air near the undead begins to waver as if from heat haze.
Holding for Whisper as are the others, since I'm not sure if the sound of casting will call zombie attention.
Casting Bull's Strength on Kraken, then starting his Summon Nature's Ally III spell. I figure all the simians on the ground will already count as distractions, so something hefty seems useful: How about a Dire Wolf
Doral moves along with the party, trying to keep the sphere with the lead attackers. If he attacks or casts a spell he will lose the invisibility for the entire party. Once the party initiates the attack he will cast Greater Mirror Image.
When everyone seems ready, Whisper murmurs in the strange and siblant tongue that she uses to cast spells. Tiny motes of light, pale and blue, pour out of her fingertips and start to orbit her hands and body. They collect around her hands though as she raises them...and then stream in a torrent towards the collection of skeletons as she makes a throwing gesture.
The motes burst outwards in a silent explosion, absolutely covering the skeletons and everything around them in gleaming cyan "powder" composed of arcane energy.
"Now," Whisper suggests.
(Glitterdust! Will DC 17 or be blinded! Init 10: Roll Lookup )
AC 19 (T13, FF16), HP 46/46, F +5,R+5,W+5
Eldritch blast: +6/+7, 3d6 damage
Glaive acts nearly instantly after Whisper's command, just stopping outside of the undeads striking distance before muttering nearly silently a word. No one of the others understand the language, but somehow it sounds 'wrong'.
Surprise Round
Whispers spell coats the entire area in a cloud of magical particles. Two of the undead shriek and claw wildly at the air around them. Kraken raises his holy symbol high, but his act of piety only seems to enrage them more. Dorel stays close to Midian and Garuk for now, but readies himself to follow Kraken and Glaive into the fray. Glaives word of power strikes the leading undead in the chest. You hear a loud crack as something within it fragments.
Round 1
The creatures recover from the initial attack swiftly. Two of them orient on your party and howl. Their gore soaked arms suddenly glisten with and glow with a sickly green substance. The "goo" on their arms drips to the ground with hissing splatters. The two hurl themselves towards you covering the distance with frightening speed. The other two remain blinded by the dust but they move slowly towards the sounds of their brethren fighting.
Glaive
Spoiler:
When the creatures begin their attack you feel a pulse like a heart beat from the crystal shard you carry. It is not as strong as the sensation from the night before, but it is noticeable. The shard seemed to be triggered by something the undead did, more than by their presence. The feeling wanes in intensity after a moment while the fight rages on.
. I will try out my words that will shatter crystal as we moving close, too. For the close up fight, I need a bit dostance with my polearm to be effective. Let's hope, the chants work."
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