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<blockquote data-quote="Hjorimir" data-source="post: 6989815" data-attributes="member: 5745"><p><strong><p style="text-align: center">Charity</p><p></strong></p><p>“There’s something back here,” Charity called.</p><p></p><p>The others found the paladin standing upon some rocks at the far end of the lower half of the great hall. It appeared as if the entire roof had caved in, but she was pointing beyond some of the rocks from her perch. “I think I see some doors.”</p><p></p><p>“Let me look,” Dazen said and clambered past her down into the gap between the rocks. “She’s right,” he said from within, “There are doors here and I think I can open them. Should I?”</p><p></p><p>“It would be a shame to not peek inside while we’re here,” Orsik said with a smile. “Besides, places such as this have been known to house great treasures!”</p><p></p><p>“And great dangers,” Vech added.</p><p></p><p>(Truth be told, the players were really excited to get into a dungeon. They had just leveled up to 4th and there was a dearth of magic items amongst them, so they figured that treasure was close at hand.)</p><p></p><p>“Bah, you won’t get to the gold by licking the rock,” the dwarf replied with a saying of his people.</p><p></p><p>“Open it,” Ilvander agreed.</p><p></p><p>After unlocking the doors, it took some effort to force the doors open completely. The tilt of the place caused them to push into the floor. So, with a lot of sweat and grunting, the Companions put their shoulders to the doors and forced them to open with a long scrape of stone, which echoed in the darkness beyond.</p><p></p><p>The doors opened onto a short balcony, beyond which was only darkness. To their left, a ramp led down along the curved wall.</p><p></p><p>Ilvander peered out and shook his head, “What am I looking at?”</p><p></p><p>“That ramp there to the left curves down against the wall and continues past what I can see,” Dazen said.</p><p></p><p>“We’re in some kind of massive, round shaft that goes very deep,” Vech offered as he stared into the darkness. “I can see the other side. The ramp spirals down as it circles about the chamber. There is bas-relief along the outer walls.”</p><p></p><p>“Let’s go!” the dwarf urged. “Less gawking and more walking!”</p><p></p><p>The Companions began to wind their way down the ramp, descending into the depths of the shaft.</p><p></p><p>“Vech, can you produce some light for us?” the ranger asked.</p><p></p><p>Vech shook his head, “No.”</p><p></p><p>“No, you can’t or no, you won’t?” Tenoch asked.</p><p></p><p>“Can’t,” Vech said. “I can see in the dark and I never spent time trying to learn how.”</p><p></p><p>Tenoch sighed.</p><p></p><p>“I’ve got it,” Ilvander said and cast <em>light</em> and stopped as he looked at the sculptured wall. “Well now, this is interesting.”</p><p></p><p>“Don’t stand on it, boy. Out with it!” the druid said.</p><p></p><p>“Oh, sorry, give me a minute…or five,” Ilvander said as he peered closer. “It appears to be a history of sorts. Let’s keep going, I need to see more.” The Companions continued their spiral into darkness.</p><p></p><p>After they had descended four flights down the shaft, Ilvander stopped where he studied a section of the wall more closely. “We are the subsumed,” he said quietly to himself.</p><p></p><p>“Care to explain?” Dazen asked.</p><p></p><p>“What we’re looking at is the history of the Kaath. An ancient people that fell during the Second Age,” Ilvander said.</p><p></p><p>“Ah, to the Chynntai,” the elf replied.</p><p></p><p>“No, not directly,” Ilvander continued. “The Kaath were essentially sacrificed to the Chynntai by their own monarch, the Voringian Primacy.”</p><p></p><p>“The Voringian what?” the paladin asked.</p><p></p><p>“Basically, their own kings betrayed them to the Chynntai,” Ilvander said almost sadly.</p><p></p><p>“For what?” Chantry asked.</p><p></p><p>“The power of immortality, or so the legends go,” Ilvander answered.</p><p></p><p>“Legends or history?” Vech asked.</p><p></p><p>“More legend than history, I’m afraid,” the monk responded. “There are not too many writings from the Second Age, most accounts are second hand accounts from the Third Age as a matter of fact.”</p><p></p><p>“How did you come to learn how to read Kaath?” Orsik asked.</p><p></p><p>“Kaathic,” Ilvander corrected him. “As a part of my training with the Chantry I was given a choice of languages to learn. I chose Kaathic.”</p><p></p><p>“Why not a more useful language, like Dwarven?” the druid asked.</p><p></p><p>“I’ve known too many dwarves,” Ilvander said with a wink.</p><p></p><p>“Bah!” Orsik waved him off.</p><p></p><p>“Honestly, the stack of Kaathic books was the smallest, so I figured it would be easiest,” the monk replied.</p><p></p><p>“Well at least that makes sense,” the dwarf answered, patting his friend on the back. “But I’m afraid you owe me a drink for the crack about dwarves.”</p><p></p><p>Ilvander nodded. “Done. As soon as we get back to Traveler’s Rest, I promise,” he said with a smile.</p><p></p><p>“Can we please keep going?” Charity asked.</p><p></p><p>The Companions continued down. Ilvander read and learned more as they went.</p><p></p><p>They came to the bottom of the shaft to a circular chamber. To their left and their right, were a pair of hallways. Each entrance was flanked by a pair of statues.</p><p></p><p>“Apparently, some of the Kaath chose to serve the Voringians even in death and were given the gift of the…yoke?” the monk said as he squinted at the last of the bas-relief sculptures. He shrugged, “The Gift of the Yoke.”</p><p></p><p>“Which way?” Vech asked.</p><p></p><p>Charity looked around and shrugged. “Let’s go right,” she said finally.</p><p></p><p>The statues at the hallway looked like they were guards or warriors. Each was posed in a bow of reverence.</p><p></p><p>Charity lowered the visor on her helm, drew her longsword, and stepped into the hallway. The hallway descended ten steps, continued forward a short distance, and then climbed another ten steps into another round chamber that was obviously meant to serve as a crypt. A sarcophagus lay in the center of the room. All about the outer wall were shelves upon shelves of mummified bodies.</p><p></p><p>“Nobody touch anything,” Dazen said. “Ancient crypts like these are just the kind of place one finds a deathtrap.”</p><p></p><p>“Are you saying we should just leave?” the dwarf grumbled.</p><p></p><p>“No, not at all, but give me time,” the rogue answered.</p><p></p><p><em>I don’t like this.</em> Charity closed her eyes and extended her senses. “Undead!” she said in a loud whisper.</p><p></p><p>Dazen nodded and spoke quietly. “Yes, but they’re in a torpor. If we don’t disturb them, we should be okay.”</p><p></p><p>Ilvander started fingering his holy symbol.</p><p></p><p>Dazen spent some time at the sarcophagus in the center of the chamber as he carefully checked it – and the floor around it – for any traps, both mundane and magical. Once he was convinced there were none, he started to slide the sarcophagus lid open. A body lie within. Mummified like the others, but this one was stained black and wore the tattered remnants of a robe. It clutched a staff of burnt wood in its hands. A sliver of bright metal, below one of its arms caught the rogue’s attention. </p><p></p><p>“What do we have here?” Dazen said to himself as he ‘carefully reached in to work whatever was hidden free’ without disturbing the body on top.</p><p></p><p>Suddenly, the creature within rose in the air to float just above the sarcophagus. Its black staff held high over its head in one hand and tattered robe seemed to whip in a wind that didn’t exist within the chamber. <em>“Sog kothic umn!”</em> it said as it stretched pointed about the room with its empty hand. </p><p></p><p>“It said Rise Children!” Ilvander called out.</p><p></p><p>All about the room, there were gasps as the undead tore from the ancient wrappings, bronze weapons in hand.</p><p></p><p>The eye from beyond appeared over the floating undead’s head quickly followed by an <em>eldritch blast</em> from Vech, bringing a screech from the ancient creature.</p><p></p><p>Charity swung and missed.</p><p></p><p>A thin, green ray sprang from the deathpriest’s outstretched finger and lanced past the warlock, hitting the wall just behind him…which turned into a fine, gray dust. (Of course, I miss with my <em>disintegration ray</em>. Stupid dice.)</p><p></p><p>“Do NOT let that thing hit you!” Vech shouted.</p><p></p><p>Tenoch ripped into one of the Kaathic warriors crawling forth from the outer ring. A huge cut from its neck down to its navel had one arm dangling at his feet, but the warrior remained upright. “Spirits preserve!” the ranger said. (Let it be known that the zombie’s undead fortitude ability is awesome.)</p><p></p><p>Dazen came away from the sarcophagus with an elegant silvered shortsword of elven design. His eyes widened as it thrummed with a life of its own.</p><p></p><p>Then the zombies were upon them. Ilvander buried an arrow into one and slowly backed into the center of the room.</p><p></p><p>Orsik turned into a brown bear and started to trying to pull them apart.</p><p></p><p>ZOT! Vech ripped into the deathpriest again. It howled in rage as it looked at the warlock.</p><p></p><p>Then the point of Charity’s sword erupted from the center of its chest and light flashed from the blade to fill the body of the deathpriest. (Oh, did I critical? Better make that a smite! /sigh)</p><p></p><p>The deathpriest reassessed the situation and spun on the paladin. Another beam sprung from his finger, this time yellow, striking the paladin in the chest. Charity froze in motion, unable to move.</p><p></p><p>Tenoch continued to hack at the zombies, but they were not dropping. (Again, love me some undead fortitude.)</p><p></p><p>Dazen ran one through with the shortsword. It crumbled.</p><p></p><p>But the zombies were pressing hard now and were inflicting enough wounds to really start to matter.</p><p></p><p>Ilvander held up the holy symbol to Lokela, “Back spawn of the grave! Back to dirt with you! Flee before the light of the Archons!” (This was perhaps the most ridiculously successful turn undead I’ve seen in quite some time. I had 15 zombies in the room, I think 13 of them were turned. Ilvander’s player was very proud of the results and he should be.)</p><p></p><p>With the undead cowering, they were dispatched in short order, including the deathpriest.</p><p></p><p>The Companions took a little while to collect their strength before moving back to the central chamber to investigate the left hall.</p><p></p><p>Again, there were a pair of statues flanking the hall and they were both warriors as well. However, unlike the previous set that had been kneeling in reverence, the two statues here held out their right arm, hand pulled back as if signaling for the Companions to stop.</p><p></p><p>Charity frowned, “A warning?”</p><p></p><p>“Perhaps,” Dazen replied. “Hold here, let me check.”</p><p></p><p>The elf slid into the shadows, disappearing from everybody’s view. He returned a short while later.</p><p></p><p>“It’s basically the same. Round chamber, shelves of dead in the walls, sarcophagus in the center.”</p><p></p><p>“Then what are we waiting for?” Orsik said and started to move forward.</p><p></p><p>Dazen caught him by the shoulder, “The sarcophagus is wrapped in to massive chains to the floor, binding it closed.”</p><p></p><p>You could almost see the avarice twinkle in the eyes of the dwarf. “Ooooh, something valuable indeed!”</p><p></p><p>“Or something dangerous,” Vech said.</p><p></p><p>The Companions entered the chamber and examined the chained sarcophagus from a distance.</p><p></p><p>“Trapped?” Orsik said looking at the Dazen.</p><p></p><p>The elf shrugged, “I didn’t get close to this…it makes me feel uneasy.”</p><p></p><p>Vech took a few steps back to be next to the exit. As the others closed on the chained box, a wind hissed through the chamber, and Ilvander’s light wavered and dimmed ever so slightly.</p><p></p><p><em>“Aj nathku kro mhuut!”</em></p><p></p><p>They all heard the whispers escape from the sarcophagus. It was palpable evil, but the dwarf was not to be denied. He had dropped his rucksack and produced a crowbar of dwarven make and was working with Charity and Tenoch on how to open the chains.</p><p></p><p>“The time is upon us,” Ilvander mumbled, concern growing on his face.</p><p></p><p><em>“Bajku nor empic fum!”</em></p><p></p><p>Orsik was hammering on one end of the crowbar as Charity and Tenoch were applying leverage.</p><p></p><p>“The First of the Risen calls,” Ilvander said softly, bringing one hand to his lips as if to try and stop what he was saying.</p><p></p><p>All about the chamber, the bodies of the mummified Kaath were shaking where they lay.</p><p></p><p>Ilvander looked down at the top of the sarcophagus and saw a word, “Nazzak…I know that name.”</p><p></p><p>“Guys, wait…” the monk said as he spun back to his friend, but it was too late.</p><p></p><p>The first chain snapped free like a whip and struck the ground on the opposite side, causing it to shatter and producing a huge cloud of dust. Everybody was coughing and waving the dust from their eyes.</p><p></p><p>“Watch out!” Vech was shouting from the back of the room.</p><p></p><p>The started to see the form as the cloud of dust evaporated. It was standing within the sarcophagus, one foot within, one perched on its side. It was clad in ancient bronze plate and was holding a greatsword to match. It was thin, little more than a skeleton, but had white skin stretched tight over its bones. Long, wispy white hair fluttered from its pate. Its eyes, nose, and mouth all flared with red light, as if a flame burnt within its skull.</p><p></p><p><em>We’ve made our last mistake.</em> Charity pulled her longsword and struck Nazzak across the face. White light exploded as it left its mark. Nazzak shook his head once and then smiled, red light flaring out from the cut in his cheek.</p><p></p><p>Tenoch let out a mighty yawp and tried to cut Nazzak’s legs out from under him. Teeth from one of his macuahuitl snapped off and skittered to the rear of the chamber.</p><p></p><p>Then Nazzak struck Tenoch with its greatsword, leaving a gash across the ranger’s chest that instantly began to necrotize. Then he struck Charity with similar results. And one for Orsik too.</p><p></p><p>Ilvander held aloft his holy symbol, “Back! Back before the will of the Archons! Back!”</p><p></p><p>Nazzak cackled at the monk’s feeble attempt to turn it…and then hit Charity again.</p><p></p><p>Vech called forth the eye and struck Nazzak with an <em>eldritch blast</em>.</p><p></p><p>Nazzak spun on Tenoch and hit him again. The ranger wobbled on his feet.</p><p></p><p>Dazen bound forward and stuffed the shortsword in the side of the undead. Red light flared from its eyes as its head rolled back and it screeched in pain. When Nazzak looked back down, the elf had already retreated.</p><p></p><p>Nazzak struck at Charity again, but the blow thundered off her shield.</p><p></p><p>Orsik cast <em>heat metal</em> upon Nazzak’s greatsword and the blade started to smolder in his hands.</p><p></p><p>Nazzak howled in anger looking at the dwarf, but was distracted when Charity smote him again.</p><p></p><p>Tenoch attacked with grim determination, hitting once, leaving a gash along Nazzak’s arm.</p><p></p><p>The skin of Nazzak’s hands sizzled, but his grip remained true. He thundered down on the weakened ranger. Tenoch fell with the third blow. His blood slushing out to mix with the dust on the floor.</p><p></p><p>“Nooo!” Ilvander shouted and cast <em>healing word</em>, bringing the ranger back from the brink. Tenoch coughed some blood and started to shake his head. One of Ilvander’s arrows rung off Nazzak’s armor. Tenoch looked up at his doom. Nazzak struck the ranger again.</p><p></p><p>Vech was standing in the doorway now, “We need to flee this place!” His <em>eldritch blast</em> missing its mark.</p><p></p><p>Dazen slid up, missed, and rolled back. Nazzak struck Charity, but again she raised her shield just in time. THOOM!</p><p></p><p>Orsik continued to concentrate and hit the paladin with a <em>healing word</em>. “Hold tight, lass!” </p><p></p><p>Charity screamed as she was struck again. She shook her head, blood seeped from her helm. She brought her fist to her chest and touched herself. Warm, golden light rolled over her body, closing many of her wounds. <em>Please…</em> Charity didn’t know which Archon she should call upon.</p><p></p><p>Nazzak bound from his sarcophagus to loom over Dazen. He swung in a huge arc, but the elf rolled under the blade and came back to his feet. The follow through was too fast however, and left the rogue holding back the blood from his stomach with one hand. The third attack came from overhead. Dazen felt cold. He looked around as if in a dream. The silver sword rolled away from his grip, making a beautiful sound as it rung off the floor. Then Dazen collapsed.</p><p></p><p>Ilvander shot Nazzak in the back with an arrow. THUNK! The graveknight didn’t even shrug.</p><p></p><p>Vech’s <em>eldritch blast</em> found its mark and sent the graveknight back. “What are you waiting for? Run!”</p><p></p><p>Nazzak, fingers still burned as it clutched its weapon, leveled its gaze upon Orsik. A cold, unnatural fear settled upon the dwarf.</p><p></p><p>“Go!” Orsik shouted. “I’m sorry!”</p><p></p><p>“I will not leave you to die!” Charity shouted as she slammed into Nazzak from behind, sending him down to the ground on all fours. “Die!” The paladin thrust her longsword straight through the graveknight’s back, white light exploding from the wound.</p><p></p><p>Nazzak’s reared up to his knees and wailed in agony…and then jumped back to his feet. He threw Charity out of his way and he bore down on Orsik. He raised his sword again and again with mighty overhead strikes. His sword went cold as the dwarf lay gasping on the floor. Three, deep gashes across his chest weakly pumping blood.</p><p></p><p>“Run already!” Charity screamed at her friends. “I’ll hold him for as long I can!”</p><p></p><p>Ilvander and Vech fled the chamber.</p><p></p><p>They were near the top of the shaft when they heard the last, failing scream of the paladin. </p><p></p><p>Then silence.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Hjorimir, post: 6989815, member: 5745"] [B][CENTER]Charity[/CENTER][/B] “There’s something back here,” Charity called. The others found the paladin standing upon some rocks at the far end of the lower half of the great hall. It appeared as if the entire roof had caved in, but she was pointing beyond some of the rocks from her perch. “I think I see some doors.” “Let me look,” Dazen said and clambered past her down into the gap between the rocks. “She’s right,” he said from within, “There are doors here and I think I can open them. Should I?” “It would be a shame to not peek inside while we’re here,” Orsik said with a smile. “Besides, places such as this have been known to house great treasures!” “And great dangers,” Vech added. (Truth be told, the players were really excited to get into a dungeon. They had just leveled up to 4th and there was a dearth of magic items amongst them, so they figured that treasure was close at hand.) “Bah, you won’t get to the gold by licking the rock,” the dwarf replied with a saying of his people. “Open it,” Ilvander agreed. After unlocking the doors, it took some effort to force the doors open completely. The tilt of the place caused them to push into the floor. So, with a lot of sweat and grunting, the Companions put their shoulders to the doors and forced them to open with a long scrape of stone, which echoed in the darkness beyond. The doors opened onto a short balcony, beyond which was only darkness. To their left, a ramp led down along the curved wall. Ilvander peered out and shook his head, “What am I looking at?” “That ramp there to the left curves down against the wall and continues past what I can see,” Dazen said. “We’re in some kind of massive, round shaft that goes very deep,” Vech offered as he stared into the darkness. “I can see the other side. The ramp spirals down as it circles about the chamber. There is bas-relief along the outer walls.” “Let’s go!” the dwarf urged. “Less gawking and more walking!” The Companions began to wind their way down the ramp, descending into the depths of the shaft. “Vech, can you produce some light for us?” the ranger asked. Vech shook his head, “No.” “No, you can’t or no, you won’t?” Tenoch asked. “Can’t,” Vech said. “I can see in the dark and I never spent time trying to learn how.” Tenoch sighed. “I’ve got it,” Ilvander said and cast [I]light[/I] and stopped as he looked at the sculptured wall. “Well now, this is interesting.” “Don’t stand on it, boy. Out with it!” the druid said. “Oh, sorry, give me a minute…or five,” Ilvander said as he peered closer. “It appears to be a history of sorts. Let’s keep going, I need to see more.” The Companions continued their spiral into darkness. After they had descended four flights down the shaft, Ilvander stopped where he studied a section of the wall more closely. “We are the subsumed,” he said quietly to himself. “Care to explain?” Dazen asked. “What we’re looking at is the history of the Kaath. An ancient people that fell during the Second Age,” Ilvander said. “Ah, to the Chynntai,” the elf replied. “No, not directly,” Ilvander continued. “The Kaath were essentially sacrificed to the Chynntai by their own monarch, the Voringian Primacy.” “The Voringian what?” the paladin asked. “Basically, their own kings betrayed them to the Chynntai,” Ilvander said almost sadly. “For what?” Chantry asked. “The power of immortality, or so the legends go,” Ilvander answered. “Legends or history?” Vech asked. “More legend than history, I’m afraid,” the monk responded. “There are not too many writings from the Second Age, most accounts are second hand accounts from the Third Age as a matter of fact.” “How did you come to learn how to read Kaath?” Orsik asked. “Kaathic,” Ilvander corrected him. “As a part of my training with the Chantry I was given a choice of languages to learn. I chose Kaathic.” “Why not a more useful language, like Dwarven?” the druid asked. “I’ve known too many dwarves,” Ilvander said with a wink. “Bah!” Orsik waved him off. “Honestly, the stack of Kaathic books was the smallest, so I figured it would be easiest,” the monk replied. “Well at least that makes sense,” the dwarf answered, patting his friend on the back. “But I’m afraid you owe me a drink for the crack about dwarves.” Ilvander nodded. “Done. As soon as we get back to Traveler’s Rest, I promise,” he said with a smile. “Can we please keep going?” Charity asked. The Companions continued down. Ilvander read and learned more as they went. They came to the bottom of the shaft to a circular chamber. To their left and their right, were a pair of hallways. Each entrance was flanked by a pair of statues. “Apparently, some of the Kaath chose to serve the Voringians even in death and were given the gift of the…yoke?” the monk said as he squinted at the last of the bas-relief sculptures. He shrugged, “The Gift of the Yoke.” “Which way?” Vech asked. Charity looked around and shrugged. “Let’s go right,” she said finally. The statues at the hallway looked like they were guards or warriors. Each was posed in a bow of reverence. Charity lowered the visor on her helm, drew her longsword, and stepped into the hallway. The hallway descended ten steps, continued forward a short distance, and then climbed another ten steps into another round chamber that was obviously meant to serve as a crypt. A sarcophagus lay in the center of the room. All about the outer wall were shelves upon shelves of mummified bodies. “Nobody touch anything,” Dazen said. “Ancient crypts like these are just the kind of place one finds a deathtrap.” “Are you saying we should just leave?” the dwarf grumbled. “No, not at all, but give me time,” the rogue answered. [I]I don’t like this.[/I] Charity closed her eyes and extended her senses. “Undead!” she said in a loud whisper. Dazen nodded and spoke quietly. “Yes, but they’re in a torpor. If we don’t disturb them, we should be okay.” Ilvander started fingering his holy symbol. Dazen spent some time at the sarcophagus in the center of the chamber as he carefully checked it – and the floor around it – for any traps, both mundane and magical. Once he was convinced there were none, he started to slide the sarcophagus lid open. A body lie within. Mummified like the others, but this one was stained black and wore the tattered remnants of a robe. It clutched a staff of burnt wood in its hands. A sliver of bright metal, below one of its arms caught the rogue’s attention. “What do we have here?” Dazen said to himself as he ‘carefully reached in to work whatever was hidden free’ without disturbing the body on top. Suddenly, the creature within rose in the air to float just above the sarcophagus. Its black staff held high over its head in one hand and tattered robe seemed to whip in a wind that didn’t exist within the chamber. [I]“Sog kothic umn!”[/I] it said as it stretched pointed about the room with its empty hand. “It said Rise Children!” Ilvander called out. All about the room, there were gasps as the undead tore from the ancient wrappings, bronze weapons in hand. The eye from beyond appeared over the floating undead’s head quickly followed by an [I]eldritch blast[/I] from Vech, bringing a screech from the ancient creature. Charity swung and missed. A thin, green ray sprang from the deathpriest’s outstretched finger and lanced past the warlock, hitting the wall just behind him…which turned into a fine, gray dust. (Of course, I miss with my [I]disintegration ray[/I]. Stupid dice.) “Do NOT let that thing hit you!” Vech shouted. Tenoch ripped into one of the Kaathic warriors crawling forth from the outer ring. A huge cut from its neck down to its navel had one arm dangling at his feet, but the warrior remained upright. “Spirits preserve!” the ranger said. (Let it be known that the zombie’s undead fortitude ability is awesome.) Dazen came away from the sarcophagus with an elegant silvered shortsword of elven design. His eyes widened as it thrummed with a life of its own. Then the zombies were upon them. Ilvander buried an arrow into one and slowly backed into the center of the room. Orsik turned into a brown bear and started to trying to pull them apart. ZOT! Vech ripped into the deathpriest again. It howled in rage as it looked at the warlock. Then the point of Charity’s sword erupted from the center of its chest and light flashed from the blade to fill the body of the deathpriest. (Oh, did I critical? Better make that a smite! /sigh) The deathpriest reassessed the situation and spun on the paladin. Another beam sprung from his finger, this time yellow, striking the paladin in the chest. Charity froze in motion, unable to move. Tenoch continued to hack at the zombies, but they were not dropping. (Again, love me some undead fortitude.) Dazen ran one through with the shortsword. It crumbled. But the zombies were pressing hard now and were inflicting enough wounds to really start to matter. Ilvander held up the holy symbol to Lokela, “Back spawn of the grave! Back to dirt with you! Flee before the light of the Archons!” (This was perhaps the most ridiculously successful turn undead I’ve seen in quite some time. I had 15 zombies in the room, I think 13 of them were turned. Ilvander’s player was very proud of the results and he should be.) With the undead cowering, they were dispatched in short order, including the deathpriest. The Companions took a little while to collect their strength before moving back to the central chamber to investigate the left hall. Again, there were a pair of statues flanking the hall and they were both warriors as well. However, unlike the previous set that had been kneeling in reverence, the two statues here held out their right arm, hand pulled back as if signaling for the Companions to stop. Charity frowned, “A warning?” “Perhaps,” Dazen replied. “Hold here, let me check.” The elf slid into the shadows, disappearing from everybody’s view. He returned a short while later. “It’s basically the same. Round chamber, shelves of dead in the walls, sarcophagus in the center.” “Then what are we waiting for?” Orsik said and started to move forward. Dazen caught him by the shoulder, “The sarcophagus is wrapped in to massive chains to the floor, binding it closed.” You could almost see the avarice twinkle in the eyes of the dwarf. “Ooooh, something valuable indeed!” “Or something dangerous,” Vech said. The Companions entered the chamber and examined the chained sarcophagus from a distance. “Trapped?” Orsik said looking at the Dazen. The elf shrugged, “I didn’t get close to this…it makes me feel uneasy.” Vech took a few steps back to be next to the exit. As the others closed on the chained box, a wind hissed through the chamber, and Ilvander’s light wavered and dimmed ever so slightly. [I]“Aj nathku kro mhuut!”[/I] They all heard the whispers escape from the sarcophagus. It was palpable evil, but the dwarf was not to be denied. He had dropped his rucksack and produced a crowbar of dwarven make and was working with Charity and Tenoch on how to open the chains. “The time is upon us,” Ilvander mumbled, concern growing on his face. [I]“Bajku nor empic fum!”[/I] Orsik was hammering on one end of the crowbar as Charity and Tenoch were applying leverage. “The First of the Risen calls,” Ilvander said softly, bringing one hand to his lips as if to try and stop what he was saying. All about the chamber, the bodies of the mummified Kaath were shaking where they lay. Ilvander looked down at the top of the sarcophagus and saw a word, “Nazzak…I know that name.” “Guys, wait…” the monk said as he spun back to his friend, but it was too late. The first chain snapped free like a whip and struck the ground on the opposite side, causing it to shatter and producing a huge cloud of dust. Everybody was coughing and waving the dust from their eyes. “Watch out!” Vech was shouting from the back of the room. The started to see the form as the cloud of dust evaporated. It was standing within the sarcophagus, one foot within, one perched on its side. It was clad in ancient bronze plate and was holding a greatsword to match. It was thin, little more than a skeleton, but had white skin stretched tight over its bones. Long, wispy white hair fluttered from its pate. Its eyes, nose, and mouth all flared with red light, as if a flame burnt within its skull. [I]We’ve made our last mistake.[/I] Charity pulled her longsword and struck Nazzak across the face. White light exploded as it left its mark. Nazzak shook his head once and then smiled, red light flaring out from the cut in his cheek. Tenoch let out a mighty yawp and tried to cut Nazzak’s legs out from under him. Teeth from one of his macuahuitl snapped off and skittered to the rear of the chamber. Then Nazzak struck Tenoch with its greatsword, leaving a gash across the ranger’s chest that instantly began to necrotize. Then he struck Charity with similar results. And one for Orsik too. Ilvander held aloft his holy symbol, “Back! Back before the will of the Archons! Back!” Nazzak cackled at the monk’s feeble attempt to turn it…and then hit Charity again. Vech called forth the eye and struck Nazzak with an [I]eldritch blast[/I]. Nazzak spun on Tenoch and hit him again. The ranger wobbled on his feet. Dazen bound forward and stuffed the shortsword in the side of the undead. Red light flared from its eyes as its head rolled back and it screeched in pain. When Nazzak looked back down, the elf had already retreated. Nazzak struck at Charity again, but the blow thundered off her shield. Orsik cast [I]heat metal[/I] upon Nazzak’s greatsword and the blade started to smolder in his hands. Nazzak howled in anger looking at the dwarf, but was distracted when Charity smote him again. Tenoch attacked with grim determination, hitting once, leaving a gash along Nazzak’s arm. The skin of Nazzak’s hands sizzled, but his grip remained true. He thundered down on the weakened ranger. Tenoch fell with the third blow. His blood slushing out to mix with the dust on the floor. “Nooo!” Ilvander shouted and cast [I]healing word[/I], bringing the ranger back from the brink. Tenoch coughed some blood and started to shake his head. One of Ilvander’s arrows rung off Nazzak’s armor. Tenoch looked up at his doom. Nazzak struck the ranger again. Vech was standing in the doorway now, “We need to flee this place!” His [I]eldritch blast[/I] missing its mark. Dazen slid up, missed, and rolled back. Nazzak struck Charity, but again she raised her shield just in time. THOOM! Orsik continued to concentrate and hit the paladin with a [I]healing word[/I]. “Hold tight, lass!” Charity screamed as she was struck again. She shook her head, blood seeped from her helm. She brought her fist to her chest and touched herself. Warm, golden light rolled over her body, closing many of her wounds. [I]Please…[/I] Charity didn’t know which Archon she should call upon. Nazzak bound from his sarcophagus to loom over Dazen. He swung in a huge arc, but the elf rolled under the blade and came back to his feet. The follow through was too fast however, and left the rogue holding back the blood from his stomach with one hand. The third attack came from overhead. Dazen felt cold. He looked around as if in a dream. The silver sword rolled away from his grip, making a beautiful sound as it rung off the floor. Then Dazen collapsed. Ilvander shot Nazzak in the back with an arrow. THUNK! The graveknight didn’t even shrug. Vech’s [I]eldritch blast[/I] found its mark and sent the graveknight back. “What are you waiting for? Run!” Nazzak, fingers still burned as it clutched its weapon, leveled its gaze upon Orsik. A cold, unnatural fear settled upon the dwarf. “Go!” Orsik shouted. “I’m sorry!” “I will not leave you to die!” Charity shouted as she slammed into Nazzak from behind, sending him down to the ground on all fours. “Die!” The paladin thrust her longsword straight through the graveknight’s back, white light exploding from the wound. Nazzak’s reared up to his knees and wailed in agony…and then jumped back to his feet. He threw Charity out of his way and he bore down on Orsik. He raised his sword again and again with mighty overhead strikes. His sword went cold as the dwarf lay gasping on the floor. Three, deep gashes across his chest weakly pumping blood. “Run already!” Charity screamed at her friends. “I’ll hold him for as long I can!” Ilvander and Vech fled the chamber. They were near the top of the shaft when they heard the last, failing scream of the paladin. Then silence. [/QUOTE]
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