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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ForceUser" data-source="post: 1028624" data-attributes="member: 2785">-Falco-Falco slammed into the wall behind him, bringing his shield up just in time as the unholy creature rammed into him and tried to claw its way around. A rotting stench filled the air, like carrion that had been left too long in the sun. Ghouls! he recognized in surprised panic. The dwarf-ghoul atop his shield leered around the edge, swollen tongue lolling in savage hunger. Pinpricks of red swam in its black eyes as it rasped something in dwarvish and lunged for him again. With the swiftness of undeath it reached under Falco’s guard and raked a taloned hand across his chain hauberk, finding no purchase.To Falco’s right, Garlok whipped his axes off his belt, sidestepped a ghoul’s lunge, and plunged both weapons deep into the chest of another – thunk, thunk!. It spit and hissed and raked his arms with filthy black claws. Garlok jerked stiffly but fought on, limbs bloodied. Behind the melee, two more dwarvish ghouls loped toward the off-balance adventurers. Enough, thought the priest. Kicking off from the wall, he shoved the ghoul back hard, grasped his holy symbol and thrust it aloft. Deep within the core of his being he felt the stirrings of divine energy mingled with true faith. He focused on that energy, calling it forth until the upwelling burst like a font. “Go back to hell!” he roared as a surge of radiant power washed away from him like a tide. The greater turning crashed over the ghouls with fury, consuming the three nearest him in holy fire. The two ghouls farthest away covered their eyes and snarled but pressed the attack. Behind them through the doorway, Falco heard shouting and running. Erak burst through the portal, sword drawn, and said “What’s-aaAAAaaaa!” upon spying the ghouls. Falco drew his mace and stepped behind one, and Garlok flanked it. It twisted and writhed beneath their assault, avoiding all blows but one of the dwarf’s axes. Erak intoned a spell and a translucent shield shimmered into being, interposed between him and the melee. With that, he stepped back out of the doorway and out of sight.“Yep,” bellowed Garlok, “He’s a wizard!”Falco heard Erak casting another spell, then a loud pop-bang followed by a curse. He had no time to wonder what had happened, though, as the ghoul that wasn’t flanked tried to skewer him. He took the attack on his shield, staggering under the monster’s frenzy. With a heave he shouldered its weight off and smashed his heavy mace across the skull of the ghoul he flanked off Garlok. Spun around by his attack, it gurgled through its shattered skull and began to reach for him, but with two violent chops the dwarven warrior finished it. As it fell, three streaks of dazzling indigo light wove around Falco and struck the ghoul behind him with unerring force. Beyond the doorway stood Dera, arms poised to unleash a second magic missile spell if needed. It wasn’t. Blown back by the arcane assault, the final ghoul staggered once, twice, then fell to the cold stone floor and lay still. Erak stuck his head in the door, “Everyone okay?”“No thanks t’you,” grumbled Garlok. Erak looked hurt but said nothing. Falco examined the dwarf’s wounds, then spoke a celestial word and laid his hand upon him. Soothing golden light emanated from him, and when it faded the wounds were gone. Garlok nodded his thanks and ambled to the far side of the tower room, where there lay a ravaged, half-eaten corpse. He sighed. “It's a dwarf.”“They’re all dwarves,” said Erak.“Well,” replied Garlok, “Not anymore.” He squatted and grabbed the corpse under the shoulders. Looking at the fighter-wizard he grunted, “Gimme a hand.” They carried the body outside, where they built a cairn and placed it within. Once they had finished Falco intoned a prayer of peace over the grave, and the adventurers, aches forgotten, pressed on up the slope.</blockquote>

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