Last Stand of the Dorinthians- Dead Secrets

[GlassEye]

Four ahead and a mob behind? Silas barely has to think about it and puts on an extra burst of speed toward the exit. "Keep running! he calls. Ha! I knew those times sneaking out to play rumblestone with the young dwarves during my apprenticeship would pay off! Pumping his legs harder to pull ahead of his companions just a little, Silas lowers his shoulder and prepares to barrel into one of the figures blocking the exit. OOC: Overrun attempt

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Silas barrels towards one of the undead, which in turn punches the abjurer hard against the shoulder blade (-5 hps to Silas). The spellcaster continues forward, however, and lays the creature onto its back as he creates a gap for his companions to run through. Nefius wheezes loudly as he follows Silas' trail and has another of the humanoids cuff him for his trouble. Barok is able to avoid further blows, twirling as he follows the two robed men.

The group breaks free, but there is only a temporary moment of triumph for the three can only run for several more yards before the ground gives to a riverbank and the strong, flowing river nearby. You've come out of a sewer which leads to the nearby water, and behind you is the city and the multitudes of undead reforming to charge you once more. Four of these are the visible ones you've just made it past that are now 20 feet behind you. The rest are still unrevealed and about to burst forth from the tunnel you came from.

Nefius begins to cut a tear in his robes from his knee to his feet, mumbling "Best get ready for a swim, unless you got some spell to magic us out of this."

 

[GlassEye]

"Ha ha ha!" crows Silas. He turns rubbing his injured shoulder absent-mindedly and watches as Nefius and Barok plow through the gap his mad dash opened amongst the zombies. I didn't expect that to work! "Just like the good ol' days. If only Alexander were here..."

His joie de vivre becomes just a little muted as he sees the predicament the three are still in. He shrugs at Nefius and quickly makes sure his gear is well strapped down. "Well, I guess we swim, then." Silas looks at the cold water dubiously then abruptly plunges in.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

The three of you run into the chilled water as the undead follow in pursuit. You get about ten feet into the water, where the rushing liquid reaches just over your knees. As the water reaches waist level, Silas and Nefius lose their balance and are swept downstream as Barok dives and swims near them. Silas is able to recover himself as he swallows a bit of dirty water before being able to get his head above the waterline. Barok finds himself in the ironic duty of pulling Nefius from the depths. Several of the undead try to pursue, but their clumsy bodies are eventually pushed away or submerged by the currents.

The three men continue downstream for ten more minutes in the cold water before finally finding the shore of a beach. Nefius looks both exhausted and drained, while Silas is fatigued. Barok seems fine, and little affected by the run as he checks to make sure the materials he procured are still dry and unbroken. From the morning light you can see that the view of the city is gone, and so are signs of pursuers.

 

[GlassEye]

Silas drags himself out onto the beach. Shivering he pulls off his pack, drops it, and begins stripping off his wet clothes. "We need our gear from the horses and a fire. And sleep." He peers around at the surrounding country trying to place where the three of them have ended up in relationship to their camp of the previous evening. He looks at Barok and the stumbling Nefius. "I think we need to get farther away but we need to get dry first."

Silas will hurriedly gather up small sticks and twigs and pine needles to serve as tinder then dig out flint and steel and start a fire. "Barok, will you be able to find our camp once we get a little drier and warmer?"

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Barok nods in agreement and helps you gather branches and then start a fire in order to keep the chill out of your bones. It works, and soon the three of you are feeling both a little more refreshed and alive. When your clothes are dry enough, the three of you decide to head on back. By the time you circle around to the camp, the sun is high at midday.

"We should go away from this place before they find us. Perhaps we can check out that mountain on the frescoes. Your ancestors obviously found something there that helped them." Nefius coughs a bit after he speaks, and its obvious that the river took a bit out of him.

OOC: RIP, Gary.

 

[GlassEye]

"We can ride for a while. And it was Mount Kinran," says Silas with a sideways glance at Nefius. "Though whatever they found is sure to be long gone. That winged creature reminded me of the ancestors of the elves; maybe the mountain houses one of their stongholds." Silas falls quiet, deep in thought or maybe just worn out. He rouses himself and shrugs. "I don't see that we have anything to lose by going there."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

"Better there than wander here. There are dark things in this part of the wood. Ancient creatures that have avoided the civilized lands of Dorin are beginning to brave the now depopulated kingdom. Surely you have encountered some such in your travels."

 

[GlassEye]

"Yes, we have encountered some unusual things," says Silas. He looks at Nefius casually trying to decide if there is some hidden meaning to his statements. He shrugs and suggests that the three ride on until early afternoon then make camp and get a lot of rest to make up for the missed night of sleep.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Nefius doesn't speak further on whatever was in his thoughts, while you settle down for the night before making the long trip to Mount Kinran. The journey takes you five days, with Nefius saying little except to encourage haste. As you travel the man seems to become thinner despite the small game that Barok is able to hunt, his breath more haggard, and his complexion even paler than normal.

Finally he speaks more than just a few phrases in his worn voice. "I know this is a long shot, but your ancestors found some kind of aid in their struggle long ago near the base of the highest peak on this mountain, if we are to believe the images we saw. It may be that we will still find something there that will help us."

"Perhaps. Or maybe you'll find that your past will catch up to you, poisoner," an old woman says as she seems to manifest from the trees to your left and causes Nefius to jump in surprise. The woman is ancient looking, with wrinkled brown skin and white braided hair. She smiles with black teeth and cracked lips as she advances slowly towards your group while leaning heavily on a staff. "Oh now relax. I mean no son of Dorin any harm. I simply wish to join you three men on your walk to the top of this mountain, and talk a bit. I think you'll find that the four of us will have much to discuss and perhaps even some debts to be paid."