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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 491236" data-attributes="member: 6294">"Unearthing the Past" by Jesse Decker (WotC Cliffhanger) - Part 9After a quick discussion, it is decided that the best way to proceed is to disable the lift and check what lies beyond the barred door."Best to clear out this whole level before we go any further down." Ulfgar reasons, "After all, there's no tellin' how many tunnels there are below, or how many orcs are in 'em."The others are in agreement, and - after using the tools they found to spike the lift's chains in place - the five adventures find themselves once more outside the mysterious door.  Twinkle listens briefly at the door once again, still hearing nothing.  Then Ulfgar removes the bar while the others stand ready with missile weapons.Gripping his axe, Ulfgar motions for Ming Li to swing the door open, ready to engage anything that might come bursting out when she complies.  However, the door swings open without incident, revealing a small chamber, at the far end of which are two stone coffins."See, I told you." Ming Li gestures, "Undead."Nothing comes bursting out to attack, however, and so Ulfgar gradually edges into the room, glancing around for any sign of danger.  Although everything seems quiet, the group all find it hard to believe that the door would have been barred without good reason, and thus all remain alert.Despite this caution, the ghoul's attack still catches  them flatfooted.The emaciated undead creature leaps over the left hand coffin as Ulfgar is glancing right, clawing and biting even as the dwarf responds to his companion's cries of alarm.  The fighter manages to deflect two of the ghoul's blows with his shield, but one claw sneaks past his guard, tearing at his skin.  The blow itself is not strong, but Ulfgar feels the supernatural chill of the creature's paralysing attack creep into his flesh.  He is a true Dwarf, however, hardy of body, and he shakes off the effects.Twinkle is the first of the group to react, dashing forward to stab the creature with her sword.  The blow is a good one, and might have been deadly to a still living creature, but it merely cuts through dead flesh in the case of the ghoul.Macwood also moves forward, though more cautiously than his gnomish companion, slashing at the creature with his longsword.  The ghoul dodges the tentative blow easily, and claws at Twinkle in revenge for the wound she inflicted upon it.  Like Ulfgar, the gnome is able to dodge two of the three blows, but the last claw slips through her defence, ripping open a wound on her shoulder.Once more, the paralysing effects of the creature's touch come into effect, and unfortunately Twinkle lacks the strength to resist.  The young gnome finds herself helplessly frozen in place as her muscles suddenly refuse to respond.Still shaking off the effects of the ghoul's attack, Ulfgar manages to land only a weak blow on the creature's side.  It snarls in response, but does not appear significantly injured.Ming Li and Briar also move to engage the creature, but there is not much room to manoeuvre in the small room, and they are unable to seriously threaten the undead creature, finding it difficult to close to effective melee range.The ghoul itself has no such problems.  Aided by the fact that its opponents are crowding and inhibiting one another, it is able to leap at Ming Li, biting deeply into her neck.  As the monk collapses from this wound, however, the ghoul is half-dragged down with her.  Ulfgar chooses that moment to strike, his axe shearing deep into the undead beast, snuffing out its foul existence.Quickly tending to their injured companions, the group uses their last healing potion to restore Ming Li to consciousness.  Despite their success against the orcs, most of them are by now quite battered from their battles."I think we should head back to town." Briar suggests, "The wagon should be there by now and we can get the rest of the money that Gendrew promised us.  We should be able to use it to get healing from the Sanctuary.  If they know we are fighting orcs, they might even be willing to sell us a couple more potions.  It looks like we might need them."The others (except Macwood, who hasn't been scratched) feel their injuries too keenly to object to this suggestion, and - pausing only to double-check that the lift is securely locked in place - they make their way back to Amberdale.  Once there, they head immediately to Gendrew's house, which Ming Li remembers from an earlier visit after their journey to the caves of challenge."Oh!  You're back!  Again!"  Gendrew looks harried from the pressure of arranging the Harvest Feast, "I was just making some cookies for the feast tomorrow night.  Give me a moment and I'll get the rest of your money.  Thank you so much for helping to find that wagon.  I don't know what we would have done without it.""Just a second." Twinkle steps forward, puffing herself up to her full 3'3. "I helped kill the orcs.  I should get paid, too.""But ... I didn't hire you." Gendrew's just a cook, but he's no fool ... he knows if he pays the gnome there'll be an exponential explosion in "helpers" who come looking for payment.  With a last apologetic smile at the sputtering Twinkle, he hurries off to get money for the others.While Gendrew is gone, Twinkle sneaks into the kitchen switches his salt with his sugar."I was getting a drink of water." She glibly fibs to Ming Li.  The monk merely nods, seemingly unperturbed.A few minutes later, with their pouches filled with new gold, the group heads to the Sanctuary to arrange healing.  Several spells serve to restore them all to full health, and cost less than even a single potion.  Expensive or not, however, it is more potions that the adventurers next ask for."We're killing orcs." Ulfgar folds his arms in the manner of one who does not intend to be moved, "Doing the town a vital service.  Be a shame if we had to stop with the job half done."Reluctantly, the priests part with two more Potions of Cure Light Wounds, all but wiping out the groups' cash reserves in the process.Feeling a little less vulnerable, the group immediately returns to the tunnels, arriving at the cave entrance just as darkness is falling.  They quickly make their way through the first level of the complex again, checking the rooms for signs that anyone else has been there, then head to the lift.Finding it still in place, they use crowbars to remove their spikes from the chains, and climb into the lift.  Ulfgar moves to operate the winches, while the others - each with a missile weapon at the ready - move to the corners of the platform.  They do not know what they will be descending into, so the plan is to guard all possible approaches.With a noisy grinding of gears and clanking of chains, the lift begins to lower them into the darkness...</blockquote>

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