IC: Dichotomy's Age of Worms Redux, Part II

[Dichotomy]

As Boldak changes weaponry, Alendar responds, "Well I can't do anything then!" Instead of waiting to attack, the elf begins taking precautions by pulling out a rope and starting to tie it 'round the beam in case his companions should need to escape.

Alexis moves next to the aberration, and Boldak snaps to attack. Unfortunately, the dwarf's aim is off. While Alexis connects well with her morningstar, the dwarf's words prove true, as the cleric's weapon simply fails to harm the thing.

The creature attempts to crush Alexis with a flurry of tentacle strikes and a bite. Only two blows connect. While Alexis is badly wounded, she still stands.

After the attack, the group suddenly hears a youthful-sounding voice. It seems to actually be coming from the wall nearby. "Wow! I thought you'd join the dead one that time!"
[sblock=OOC]Not bothering with a map. Let me know if you need one.

Boldak: drops, draws, readies
Alendar: foregoes readied action; retrieves rope; starts tying
Alexis: moves
Boldak: ready triggers; attacks 1; 4+4+2+?=?, miss
Alexis: attacks, 19+stuff, hits; fails to overcome DR
1: full attack A; 6+3, 4+3, 19+3, 18+3, 1!, 2 hits; 9 damage; five-foot-step SE (right)

Status & Init:
Alendar (13): 5 damage
Boldak (20): 1 damage
Alexis (12): 12 damage
1 (10):
Viktor (10): 3 damage[/SBLOCK]

 

[michael_noah]

Boldak continues the fight, heedless of the strange voice...
[sblock=ooc]Stab it with the pretty sword.[/sblock]

 

[Dichotomy]

Seeing how hurt Alexis is, combined with her inability to harm the aberration, Viktor steps next to the cleric and touches her. The holy power of Heironeous flows into Alexis, and her wounds close some.

"What in the Abyss was that?" Alendar calls as he finishes tying the rope. He tosses it down as a lifeline to safety.

Ignoring the voice from the wall, and trusting in the magic short sword, Boldak jabs at the aberration. The dwarf scores an amazing hit right in the back of the creature's head. Whatever magic the sword has seems to have done the trick, as the thing is obviously dead.

However, without any warning, from the southeast wall, whence the voice came, a translucent figure of apparently of a young human male flies out of the wall to stop directly above Alendar's head. While the others cannot see what it does, they hear the figure loudly say "BOO!" The elf screams in response, but seems to otherwise hold his composure.

[sblock=OOC]worthley, I went ahead with the prior post because you explicitly stated that you wanted to see what everyone else would do before posting Viktor's action. In the future, if you decide to go that route, I'd like a prompt response after the results of those actions.

Viktor: moves; lay on hands A for 4 hit points
Alendar: finishes tying rope around beam
Boldak: attacks 19+stuff, threat, 15+stuff, crit confirmed, that plus SA means its totally dead
2 (AHH, nasty things interrupting combat): flies directly above L; manifests; horrific appearance, fort save 14+5=19, success

We'll pick up with Alexis' action. She knows its a ghost, that ghosts have varying special abilities, that they are incorporeal, and that they are resistant to turning (it might not even be possible for her to turn one).

Status & Init:
Alendar (13): 5 damage
Boldak (20): 1 damage
2:
Alexis (12): 8 damage
1 (10): very dead
Viktor (10): 3 damage[/sblock]

 

[worthley]

Viktor makes his way up the rope and takes a step to the northeast of Alendar as he draws his mace.

[sblock=ooc]double move just northeast of alendar, and draw my hammer. I also take my dodge bonus against 2

also, sorry for not posting once I got home last night.[/sblock]

 

[michael_noah]

Boldak stares up at the thing for a moment before panicing slightly. He climbs up the rope, swearing, "Rotten ale! Get away from us you... just get!"

 

[Dichotomy]

[sblock=OOC]Guys, I want to keep this moving so that we can get Ti back in the game.[/sblock]
Alexis, knowing that ghosts are difficult to turn, but not knowing whether it was impossible, attempts to use her divine energy to drive the undead away. However, her attempt is completely ignored by the ghost.

While Viktor and Boldak quickly climb up the rope, Alendar takes a step back and reflexively fires an arrow. As expected, it does absolutely no good.

The manifested ghost, with a leer on its face, actually flies into Alendar's body. The elf turns to the others. While the elf speaks with his own voice, the look in his eyes and the words he uses are clearly not Alendar's own.

"Stop, please!" the ghost says using the elf's mouth.

"I have been here countless decades, punished for abandoning my family in a time of need. Over these years, I have seen explorers like you come and go. The trap in the walls kills most of them, but others have left in humiliation, unable to pass through the far metal door. I am unable to leave the way you came because of my curse, but I am able to push through the far wall. Beyond is a glorious chamber of strange carvings and a pillar of air. And there's a catch on the other side of the door that opens it without a problem. I'll trigger it for you if you take my bones from here and bury them with my family on a farmstead just beyond Diamond Lake. Do this for me, and I will be free. I assure you there is no other way through that door."
[sblock=OOC]Alexis: turns, 3+5=8, max hit dice of 1; fails
Viktor: moves, draws
Alendar: 5 foot step, shoots; can't possibly hit it
Boldak: moves
2: moves into L's square; malevolence ability; will save 2+1=3, fail

Status & Init:
Alendar (13): 5 damage
Boldak (20): 1 damage
2:
Alexis (12): 8 damage
Viktor (10): 3 damage[/SBLOCK]

 

[michael_noah]

"Oh gods!" shouts Boldak as the apparition enters his companions body and seemingly begins to control it. Perched precariously there on the beam, he looks to his companions before addressing the ghost.

"I can't say as we have much choice in the matter here. But, if you'd wanted to do us more harm... it seems we'd not be leaving by any means. Do you mind if I verify your story about the door, here?"

Boldak gingerly moves to the location on the beam that seems to trigger the clay ball trap and attempts to disarm it. If unable to do so, he simply tries to make his way past it safely before examining the door.

 

[Dichotomy]

Alendar's form shrugs its shoulders and crosses its arms in a display that, while normal for a petulant youth, looks out of place on the elf. It takes Boldak a couple of tries to find the precise pressure plate, but the dwarf eventually succeeds in disarming the trap.

As the dwarf examines the metal door across the beam, he finds no way on this side to open it. It seems the ghost tells the truth.

 

[michael_noah]

With a look of mild disappointment on his face, Boldak turns to the others and states, "Alright, he's telling the truth about there being no way through."

Making his way back across the beam he asks "Alendar", "Where do we find your bones?"

 

[Dichotomy]

"Oh, this way!" the possessing ghost skips across the beam to the metal door and jumps down to the spheres underneath. He digs through a couple of feet worth of clay spheres, but abruptly stops. Suddenly quite emotional, he backs away. Boldak can see the long dead and decomposed form of what was once a teenage human.