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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rel" data-source="post: 1793281" data-attributes="member: 99">A “pop” accompanied their arrival in the Forge and barely a moment passed before the party stood assembled, weapons bristling and spells readied.  A heartbeat passed, then another.  No enemies awaited them.  They breathed.They all gazed upward at the hole in the ceiling that the Watcher had disintegrated with its gaze.  They quickly moved to the perimeter of the room where they could not be directly seen from above.“Let’s check that door where the bloody (GM Note:  This isn’t meant as invective, the Ogres were literally covered in blood) Ogres came from before we leave,” said Marius.“Why?!  You were all worried that we might be found!  Let’s just leave,” implored Lazarius.“We’re going to make a lot of noise as we depart.  Marcus sounds like a walking metalworks.  If they’re behind that door, I say we ambush them instead of them ambushing us,” explained Marius.Not all the group agreed with this idea but they knew that a lengthy argument would probably draw more attention than a brief battle.  They formed up around the door.(GM Note:  This may seem a bit incautious but the party had layered on the buff spells before leaving Hell, including some rather short term stuff.  So they figured that if a fight was going to happen, they’d be better off dictating the timing.)The smell slammed into them as soon as Marcus opened the set of large doors.  It seemed to rush out into the Forge like a plague and they felt their throats constrict against the putrid odor of carrion and their eyes watered.  Marius wiped away the tears to find an enormous room stretching off into the darkness beyond their torchlight.  The shallow arch of the domed ceiling rose above and was supported by carved columns.  And the floor was piled with bodies.Hundreds, possibly thousands of them.  Orcs.  And mostly women and children from the look of them.  They were not dead more than a few days at most and the floor was thick with a couple of inches of partially congealed blood.  It was an abattoir.  It suddenly became clear where the influx of souls to pay the devils had come from.  The companions reeled at the horrible stench of death and the enormity of the evil that had taken place here.  Then something moved.“They’re Undead!” called Speaks.  “Get back!”Marius scrambled back out into the Forge followed by Cathal who pulled shut the left door.  Speaks stepped into the breach and called upon the Wild to bring forth the little creatures of the world, whose duty was to cleanse the corpses of the dead and clean the land of their taint.  Marcus too fell back but stopped in front of the Druid who was vulnerable while he did his magic.They came lurching out of the darkness, clawed hands outstretched and faces still holding the horror of their dying screams.  The undead Orcs tried to swarm past Marcus but he smote one and then another as they moved toward Speaks.  But there were many, many of them and in a moment they were all around him, grabbing and clawing, seeking revenge against any living thing for what had been done to them.Marius fell back again before the onslaught of undead, regretting that they’d ever opened that door.  Cathal held fast near the doorway, waiting for an opportunity to push back the enemy if the opportunity presented itself.Marcus held his mace high and the cross of St. Cuthbert flashed as a wave of holy energy surged outward.  Those undead closest to him halted their advance, cringing away from the light of righteousness.  Then the air became abuzz with a Swarm of Insects as Speaks’ call was answered.  He wasted no time readying another of his magics to cut off the advance of the zombie horde.The tide of evil undead began to wash away from the party as those exposed to the holy light of St. Cutbert attempted to escape its caustic rays.  Cathal and Marcus both smote down those who fled before them.  But for every one of the hideous abominations that they sent to flight, two more lurched toward them.Speaks let his magic go to cut off their advance and a magical hedge, thick with briars and thorns appeared in front of them, forming a Green Blockade.  Marcus redoubled his efforts and held aloft his mace once again, sending the latest wave of undead crashing back upon itself, even as another group surged forward.  Cathal moved across Marcus’ path and grabbed the door pull with one hand and slashed down another zombie with his blade.Marius and Lazarius both nervously stood in the Forge, their eyes glued to the hole in the ceiling, afraid that at any moment it might darken with the shadow of the Watcher.  Speaks stepped back, hovering near the double doors into the abattoir and waiting, hoping that his Swarm would slow the advance of the undead.Marcus let out a cry, “In the name of St. Cuthbert, I banish your unholy forms from this world!”  A powerful wave of silver energy surged outward from the Cleric and smashed into the oncoming undead, burning them where they stood with white flames, leaving only dust behind.  Cathal pulled the door shut and the Forge was enveloped in silence once again.“Let’s get out of here!  NOW!!” cried Lazarius.  This time there were no dissenting votes.</blockquote>

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