The Band of Four (The Village of Oester)

[Hairy Minotaur]

Gothmog's eyes adjust to what little light is in the chamber behind the door. The room is devoid of any furnishings, the room is a fifty by fifty square with a fifteen foot corridor leading off of the left wall. Gothmog looks back outside at the gathering undead only forty feet from the entrance to the tower. Looking around the room again for something, anything that he could use to keep the door propped up and the zombies out for a while.

"TharHACK, Gothmog need to put door back." Gothmog tells Tharhack

Tharhack looks down at the broken and bent door, then back up at the door frame, and begins to laugh.

"What so funny? Gothmog not tell joke." Gothmog replies

"Khurgah laugh at Gothmog." A familiar voice mocks Gothmog

Turning around Gothmog is faced with two trolls and a hunched over shriveling old man leaning on a walking cane, flanked by the trolls.

"Gothmog not here for brother, Gothmog here for old man." Gothmog replies

"Gothmog life will end here. Gothmog kill father, Khurgah kill Gothmog." Khurgah responds, waving the other troll forward to attack Gothmog.

Gothmog draws his blade, then remembers the zombie hoard advancing behind him, he steps off the downed door, props it into it's former place, and puts his back against the door. Tharhack doesn't move he just sits watching the troll advance towards Gothmog.

"Kill the half-orc, but save the head off the big one. I'd like to see what's in your brother's head." The old man says to Khurgah, then disappears.

"Kill orc, Khurgah will kill Gothmog." Khurgah says to the other troll, who responds with grunts and a low growl.

The second troll moves to it's left and approaches Tharhack. Gothmog places one foot against the base of the door, and slices out at the troll, slicing open a wound on it's left shoulder. The troll hissed at Gothmog and swings back, chipping a stone plate on Gothmog's upper torso.

"No! kill orc." Khurgah yells at the other troll

Khurgah moves up to within ten feet of Gothmog, and stares him down.

"Khurgah lead now, tribe stronger than ever. Gothmog coward." Khurgah spits at Gothmog

"Gothmog not sorry, father was taking tribe to death." Gothmog replies

"Bah! Gothmog lie like puny human, even talk like puny human. Gothmog wish to be human?" Khurgah taunts Gothmog

Then the first of many dead fists pound against the door Gothmog was holding up. The door pivots to an angle, starting at Gothmog's back foot and falling along his body up to rest against Gothmog's head. Black, dirty, and decaying hands prod the opening between the broken door and the one Gothmog is supporting. Like an anteater's tongue, the hands seek out any living flesh to grab a hold of. A couple find Tharhack's head and pull his head back to the crack between the doors near the floor of the chamber. The hands grab Tharhack's hair and slam it against the good door, as the zombies try to force Tharhack's body through the opening, or the good door, whichever way gets them Tharhack faster. Reaching back with his left hand, Gothmog tries to swat the zombie's hands back through the crack, and reset the door back up. Khurgah uses this opening to swing his massive club against Gothmog's skull, sending a shower of stars through Gothmog's vision as the back of his head is slammed into the door by the force of the blow. Gothmog feels his legs starting to give out from the weight of the undead mass pushing on the broken door. The second troll, able to see the mass of wiggling, twitching bodies, stops in it's tracks too afraid to get near enough to strike at Tharhack and risk getting attacked by the zombies.

With all hope gone from Tharhack, he sits and waits for death as his head is scratched, pulled, and slammed into the door. Gothmog not one to fear anything, slowly begins to realize that making it out of this alive will take far more than Gothmog is going to be able to give. He tries to clear his vision, as the blow from Khurgah has temporarily left Gothmog with double vision. Gothmog tries to attack Khurgah but the awkward weight of the door prevents Gothmog from making anything but a short swing, that comes nowhere near Khurgah. Khurgah swings purposefully and knocks Gothmog's greatsword out of his hands, and clanging across the floor towards the only exit in the room.

Weaponless, Gothmog's anger wells up and he throws his hand out at Khurgah. A stream of flame shoots forth from Gothmog's palm, snaking out to strike Khurgah. Khorgah flinches a little but after realizing the flame had no effect, Khurgah stands his ground laughing.

"Human give Khurgah magic like Gothmog." Khorgah states showing off a glowing ring on his right hand.

Although stunned, Gothmog remains defiant towards death, and motions for Khurgah to bring all he's got. The weight of the zombies seems to be lifting, mistaking this as a sign he's getting stronger, Gothmog tries to shove the door back upright with his right hand. Khurgah uses that opportunity to smash Gothmog's ribs with another blow from his club. Gothmog retracts his hand from the door, and pushes against it with his back. The door falls backwards falling outside the tower, Gothmog's momentum causes him to fall outside ontop of the door. Expecting a mob of zombies, Gothmog jumps to his feet ready to defend himself, only the zombies are all retreating. Gothmog wonders wht happen, when he hears the calling of a horse, and the shouting of a man.

"Back to your graves, all of you!" Gothmog hears the fish catcher yell

Rebrey flies in low, whacking zombies whenever he gets the chance, the pagasus kicks each zombie as it flies over the mass of undead, towards the entrace of the tower.

Looking back Gothmog sees that the sun's rays have temporarily blinded Khurgah and the other troll. Gothmog re-enters the tower, waving his hand in the air, Gothmog sends up a small flare. The troll by Tharhack is compelled to watch it's flight, dazed. Gothmog pulls out Tharhack's greatsword, and sinks it's blade deep into the chest of the dazed troll. The troll is sent head over feet, as it's body disengagings itself from the greatsword, with a sickening wet sound.

Looking back to Khurgah, who's moved out of the light streaming in from outside, Gothmog faces his brother.

"Try again, Khurgah the one who weak." Gothmog taunts his sibling

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

The history of Emthur

For your reading pleasure.........

Just a little background for the current plotline.

One of the few students brought back to teach at the academy, Emthur quickly and quietly stood out as an amazing teacher of the mystical arts. Rising to assistant department head, Emthur was in charge of field training and research. It was in this capacity that his eyes laid sight on an up and coming young female apprentice. Using his position as leverage to court the young woman, sowed the seed of ambition within the unassuming mage. Emthur took the woman on as his own apprentice, leapfrogging her over many more capable individuals. Thus a wedge was placed between Emthur and the other teachers, his young apprentice convinced Emthur that the other teachers were secretly plotting to rid him of his position. Emthur started to withdraw from social functions and outings, spending almost all of his time in the lab with his apprentice. The young woman soaked up his teachings like a sponge.

For ten years they toiled nonstop, his work began to take on a darker image. Looking for a way to extend his life, Emthur's apprentice stroked his ego and pride. Necromancy was a barred field, and the use of it meant immediate removal of the offending party. Emthur's apprentice convinced him that he could control the necromantic energy and mold it to his will. Emthur worked out the rituals, researched the spells, bought expensive and rare components. Space was cleared in his tower, and on the eve of his "experiment" he couldn't got through with it. His heart fought back the tempting power, the path of necromancy teased. His apprentice outraged that she had come so close to tasting the power only whispered about in scholar's circles, went to the mage council and informed them of the work Emthur was working on.

The council brought in Emthur for questioning, after admitting the truth, the council gave him one hour to leave the compound. Retreating to his tower, Emthur discovered his apprentice, attempting to complete the ceremony by herself. Realizing her duplicity, Emthur tried to end the rite, however the gate to the negative energy plane had been opened. What stepped through the gate, Emthur has never been able to discern. An epic battle ensued, and the top of Emthur's tower was blasted off, eventually Emthur was able to send the creature back to where it came. Weakened from the battle, he was expelled from the compound and ordered never to return.

Emthur left the only home he'd known for the past forty years, without the knowledge of what became of his traitorous apprentice Raziel.

As the year passed, Emthur depressed and suicidal, was visited by a strange man. The man told him he was close to discovering the power of eternal life and that to give up his work now, would be a disservice to all of mankind. In his wretched state, Emthur believed every word the man spewed. Emthur went to work on a device that would allow him to transpose the life energy from a living being and send it into Emthur's body. Through a process involving the negative energy plane, Emthur could transfer half of whatever life was left in the being, and add it to Emthur's lifespan. Emthur had an immense tower erected, and his machine built within it's confines.

Raziel spurned by Emthur and unfulfilled in her pursuit of what she thought was the ultimate in arcane power, turned to witchcraft. She spent years hunting down Emthur, determined to retrieve his notes, and return to the path of necromancy. Locating Emthur's new base of operations, Raziel settled down, and began to practice and fine tune her art for the coming storm. Through her network of forest creatures, Raziel learned of the zombies guarding his tower, and of the capture of humans and kobolds. Raziel began to active search for any information she could trace back to Emthur. Finally hitting upon the info that Emthur wanted an elf, Raziel happened to be in the right place at the right time when Alriand came walking thru Raziel's woods.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Xanoniel makes the long slow trek up the mountainside, urging on the bear carrying her valuable cargo. After an hour march through knee deep snow and rocky terrain, the odd caravan crests a bluff and Xanoniel looks down at the canyon floor behind Emthur's tower. Cut through a hill, the path leading from the tower and out of the canyon looks like a scar against the surrounding landscape. The path winds away from Emthur's tower and comes to a stop at a huge skull shaped fort. The skull's eye's burn a wicked red and cast the whole length of the canyon floor in a blood red glow. Xanoniel carefully leads the bear along a seventy-five degree slopping trail down towards the canyon floor.

Emthur watched his zombie army move en masse towards the two defenders at his door, disappointed that the door didn't withstand the beating from the half-troll, Emthur hoped the trolls got to Gothmog before the zombies did as the zombies tended to have a nasty habit of leaving nothing left after a kill. The arrival of the paladin on the back of a pegasus only raised an eyebrow on Emthur, more than confident his minions could bring down the paladin and feast on his flesh. Smiling now, Emthur remembered how exhilarating it felt to be in battle, deep down he hoped these adventurers would survive long enough to face him in combat. Emthur's attention was drawn away from the battle below, and onto the rocky slope of the canyon behind his tower. Emthur detected the presence of three lives, grasping his crystal ball and concentrating, Emthur brings the three forms into focus. A bear, useless except to his zombies. An elf, finally his research will come to completion. Emthur's heart almost leapt from his chest in excitement. The last being a curiosity, a half-elf nymph! Elation entered Emthur's head as he would have two fey, and they were heading to him.

Emthur, using the power of a ring he wore, teleported down to the path Xanoniel was traversing.

"Hello madam. Can I be of some assistance in helping you reach a destination?" Emthur smiled at Xanoniel

"Who are you?" Xanoniel asked

"Why I am caretaker of this place, I ensure it's functioning on a daily basis. Is it the tower you seek?" Emthur inquired pointing at the tower

"Yes, I have business there. If you would be so kind as to alert the master of the tower as to my arrival, I shall be very grateful.

"Excellent!" Emthur shouted as he grabbed Xanoniel's arm, and placed his hand on Alriand's back. Uttering the magic word that activated his teleportation ring, Emthur and the two ladies were transported instantly to Emthur's dungeon.

"What? What's the meaning of this?" Xanoniel said spinning away from Emthur, she raised her hand to begin an incantation, only to be pummeled on the back of her head by the jailor.

"Prepare them." Emthur ordered the jailor "Tonight I become immortal!"

Meanwhile............

Rebrey cut a thin swath through the mass of undead, landing near the entrance to the tower. Rebrey looked out at the reforming line of decay, estimating the total number somewhere around one hundred or so, Rebrey speaks a word to his pegasus mount. The pegasus quickly shrinks to the size of a chess piece, picking up the figurine, Rebrey retreats from the zombies and joins Gothmog just inside the doorway.

"We're going to need to move out from this spot real soon." Rebrey tells Gothmog, then sees a prone Tharhack and bends down to move him from the doorway.

Gothmog hears Rebrey's words but it too focused on his brother to respond. Gothmog decides to try something he's never done before, and feints an attack to Khurgah's right. Khurgah responds by defending himself on that side, Gothmog uses the feint to move out from the doorway, and place Khurgah between the wall and Gothmog. Khurgah clips the top of Gothmog's thigh with his club, but doesn't do much in the way of damage to the half-troll. Rebrey slaps Tharhack trying to get him out his stupor, out of the corner of his eye, Rebrey sees a troll getting up from a prone position on the floor. Rebrey looks into the red beady eyes of the troll, grasps his weapon, and rises to face the threat.

Gothmog feints again to Khurgah's right, and once again the dim troll falls for the feint. Gothmog moves in behind his false strike and Khurgah repositions himself, this time with his back to the open doorway and the approaching zombies. The other troll grunts out something to Rebrey and advances towards him.

"I'm sorry, but if you said anything other than please kill me, I'm afraid I can't accommodate you." Rebrey replies to the trolls grunts

Khurgah swipes at Gothmog again, this time missing his head as Gothmog ducks the blow, pieces of wall crack and shatter to the floor from the force of Khurgah's swing. Gothmog presses Khurgah, hoping to get him to block the doorway from the zombies with his body. Khurgah finally comes to the realization that he's now exposed to the zombies, growling at Gothmog, Khurgah tries to step away to his left, hoping to fill the void where Tharhack was lying a moment ago. However instead of a safer place, Khurgah found the spike covered gauntlet attached to Tharhack's fist slamming into his chest as he moved into Tharhack's reach. Gothmog wastes no time, and slashes a deep wound into Khurgah's hamstring.

Rebrey twists past the advancing troll, and swinging low sweeps the troll off it's feet, landing face first at the feet of Tharhack. Tharhack slams a fist into the back of the troll's head, shattering it's jaw. Gothmog tosses Tharhack his weapon back to him. Khurgah watches as Gothmog disarms himself, and then Gothmog sheds a tear. Khurgah takes this opportunity to strike at an unarmed Gothmog, only as he brings his club back to swing, something grabs it. Khurgah turns to see what's behind him, and is faced with a dozen groping hands from the zombie mass which has reached the doorway. Khurgah tries to pry the club from the mass of zombies, only to be pulled into the writhing mass, disappearing into the death that awaits him at the hands of the zombies.

Gothmog turns and shouts "Run!" Tharhack and Rebrey turn and race towards the east wall and the corridor that leads off of it. Gothmog stops to pick up his greatsword as he looks back one last time at the memory of his brother.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

The party races into the dark corridor, Tharhack and Gothmog lead the way as Rebrey is unable to see anything in the pitch black tunnel.

"Rebrey, don't you have a torch?" Tharhack asks

"No, I didn't stock up before I left Thumble, and the last thing I wanted to ask a deity after meeting them is if they had a light." Rebrey answers

"Huh?" Tharhack responds

"I will explain later, I'm just glad you guys left some zombies for me, I thought I'd be shut out." Rebrey answers

The corridor becomes increasingly dust covered, as they move further along. The passage also begins to incline and take a slight curve to the right. Gothmog brushes against the wall of the corridor, and using his hand to brush off the dust, finds that the wall is covered in a greasy soot like substance.
"TharHACK what you think of this?" Gothmog asks

Running his fingers along the wall, Tharhack feels the residue between his fingers, smelling the stuff Tharhack finally realizes what it is.
"This is from a pyre." Tharhack announces

"What that?" Gothmog asks

"The walls, they're made from the scorched remains of bodies after they've been burned. It would take thousands of bodies to build this." Tharhack however has little time to explore his findings, as the zombies begin to filter into the corridor behind them.

The party continues it's slow turn to the right, bits of debris litter the floor, a helmet here, a shield there. All are horribly rusted and aged beyond repair. The debris gets thicker, as the passage continues. Cobwebs now hang from the ceiling as they pass. Running now becomes impossible due the covering of the floor by scraps and trash left behind by others before them.

They party can hear the zombies disturbing some of the first metal objects that the party passed. The clanging and clinking of metal as it is kicked down the corridor, echoes up the passageway the party is in. The party continues to advance up the winding and sloping passage, eventually coming to a halt when Tharhack and Gothmog notice the curved passage makes a hard right up ahead. Slowing down to a walk Tharhack makes his way to the edge of the turn, peering around the corner Tharhack sees that the curved passage ends in a small landing and ten feet from him on the same wall there is another opening. Tharhack motions for Gothmog to advance with Rebrey, and they both move up to Tharhack's position.

"What do you see?" Rebrey asks Tharhack

"There's another passage off of this room here. Looks like a perfect ambush spot." Tharhack answers

"Well we don't have any other option, those zombies will never stop. We need to find a way to slow them down." Rebrey offers

"Gothmog do it." Gothmog pushes Rebrey into Tharhack and against the wall. He gathers up some rags and pieces of moldy leather, asks for Rebrey cloak, and then clears an eight foot path in the dusty floor behind his pile of debris. Looking down the corridor they just traversed, Gothmog can see the forms of the zombies coming into view. Gothmog puts a fist behind his head, and shoots his arm forward to point at the pile of debris while uttering an arcane word. A stream of fire ushers from Gothmog's hand, pouring over the refuse pile, a large bonfire erupts in middle of the corridor. (burning hands)

"Wow, how'd he." Rebrey starts but Tharhack interrupts him

"If we make it out of here alive, we'll have to ask him. For now we need to stay ahead of the smoke cloud that's going to rise and follow us all the way up." Tharhack answered

Gothmog stood admiring his handy work when Tharhack grabs his arm and urges him on.

"We have to stay ahead of the smoke, it's going to follow us up." Tharhack yells over the roaring blaze, nodding Gothmog turns and follows Tharhack and Rebrey to the new passage.

Rebrey who can see for the moment due to the flickering light of the fire, looks down the new passage and sees that this one curves to the left, and also inclines at the same time.

"Well looks like we're still going up." Rebrey announces to Tharhack and Gothmog

*****************************************************************

Emthur straps the gagged and restrained Xanoniel onto a slab of stone covered in runes, Xanoniel's fight ends when her skin touches the stone. Infused with energy from the negative material plane, the stone saps Xanoniel's strength and will like a leech, it's appetite is unyielding. Xanoniel tries to get Emthur to look into her eyes, hoping that she can convince him to let her go. Emthur however is too preoccupied with the ceremony and never looks Xanoniel's way. Undeterred Xanoniel focuses on the jailor who guards the door to the room.

Looking into the dark recesses of his hood, Xanoniel tries to catch a glimpse of the man's eyes. The stone beneath her begins to give off a low droning sound, making her head ache as the pulsating vibrations seem to shake her very soul. Finding it extremely hard to concentrate, Xanoniel catches the sight of a red eye reflecting the light from a small candle at the top of the stone slab. Xanoniel looks into the eye and sends an image of her and the jailor in the throes of passion. The jailor stands motionless for a moment, then begins to walk towards Xanoniel. "Yes" Xanoniel says to herself, "it's working"

The jailor stops just short of Xanoniel, and leans over her, his head directly above hers. Lifting back his hood, the visage of decaying skull appears. Worms crawl through one eye socket and drop down onto Xanoniel's forehead, his mouth opens to reveal countless more worms some the size of fingers. All of them wiggle and squirm trying to get to the flesh of the half-nymph. With her last bit of strength Xanoniel screams out in defeat.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Posted 2 new spells, and a magic item from Raziel in the Rogues Gallery:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=71892

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Emthur's Ash Tower

"No you fool." Emthur shouts at the son of Kyuss "The device won't work if you make her undead." Emthur knocks off the worms that have fallen onto Xanoniel

"Now get back to the door, I'll be ready for the other one in just a moment." Emthur orders his jailor, while removing the gag from Xanoniel's mouth to make sure no worms wiggled through.

"Why are you doing this? Let me go! I brought you your elf, I demand my due payment!" Xanoniel shouts at Emthur

"Payment indeed, your payment will be to rest in the knowledge that you have provided a valuable service to me." Emthur replies

Xanoniel spits in his face, and moves feebly in her bonds. "You despicable man, you will not find me so easy a prey."

"Your screams will fill my tower with music for weeks, I have researched and toiled for decades looking for my salvation. And now, you shall witness what true power is, where true destiny lies, and where your future resides." Emthur responds.

Emthur rises to his feet and walks behind a small table that holds an urn made from some kind of black glassy substance.

"No, wait listen to reason. I could bring you more elves, I am an heir to an elven throne, I am but a peaceful lover of nature." Xanoniel grovels for her life as Emthur rises his arms over the urn and begins to chant.

All of the noise has awoken Alriand, who although still very weak from the poison, manages to open her eyes and get a glimpse of the room, thoroughly confused as to what's going on.

"I can bring you gold, I will be your lover, I know where Raziel is." Xanoniel fired off the only card she held, as the last resort.

Emthur looks at Xanoniel and smiles "So do I." The spell complete, the urn activates it's magic. A glowing gold colored mist seems to precipitate off of the stone slab, instantly it is pulled within the urn. Xanoniel screams in agony as her life is sucked away into the glassy receptacle.

Alriand watches as Xanoniel's body shrivels up like a raisin, Xanoniel however still screams. Alriand watches as Xanoniel's eyes crumple, and fall to the floor like little white raisins. Xanoniel's teeth crumble to dust in her mouth, and her hair turns gray, then white, then almost transparent. Finally her body sucked of all life resembling a very desiccated mummy, falls apart and is blown away on an unseen breeze into the black urn in front of Emthur.

Emthur looks over at the jailor and smiles "It works, it works beautifully, and now to finish the job. Bring her to the table." Emthur tells the jailor

Grabbing Alriand's arm, the undead jailor pulls her to her feet, lifts her up, and drops her onto the stone slab. Alriand still foggy from the effects of the sleep poison, sees everything happen but is not comprehending the meaning of it all yet.

Emthur grabs the urn and lords over it, looking deep inside the urn, Emthur gets lost in the magic. Lifting the urn up, Emthur puts it to his lips, tilting it slowly at first. A black inky tar-like substance cascades out from the urn, and spills into Emthur waiting gullet. The viscous liquid seems to flow with laws of physics of it own creation. Emthur drains the urn of it's contents, and stands upright, losing the little hunched stance he had been favoring. Dropping his staff to the floor, Emthur runs his fingers through the newly sprouting hair on his head. His face becomes less wrinkle filled as decades are shaved off of the effects time has had on Emthur's age. His eyes however become black as coal, and seem to make the room just a little darker. Emthur cackles with glee as Emthur replaces the urn back to the small table it had rested on.

*****************************************************************************************************

The three men heard the terrible screams that seemed to sing from the walls surrounding them, gnawing at their resolve. They had traversed the left curving passage and were now face with a wide staircase that led up into the tower. The sounds of the zombie horde echoed off the landing they stood on, The smell of burnt flesh reeked up the passageway behind them, as did a sooty cloud of smoke.

"Gothmog smell bad smell." Gothmog said while holding his nose

"Thanks for the Mr. Obvious report." Rebrey says to Gothmog "How far do you think we have to go?" Rebrey asks Tharhack looking up at the staircase.

"Please take me with you." a little girls voice shatters the sound of impending doom.

Spinning around the men are greeted with the sight of a little girl maybe seven years old, clutching an old doll in her right arm.

"What are you doing here little girl?" Rebrey asks walking towards the girl

Tharhack puts his arm out to halt Rebrey's advance "I don't think she wants to be saved."

"What are you talking about, it's a little girl, what's your problem?" Rebrey replies

"We're in a necromancer's tower, zombies are following us, no one's touched these floors in ages, and you don't find it a little odd that there's a human child just waiting up here for a rescue?" Tharhack responds

"Gothmog think little girl diversion." Gothmog chimes in

"See, Gothmog gets it." Tharhack states

Rebrey looks at the little girl, hair matted with dust, clothes ragged and torn, barefoot, and comtemplates what his heart tells him , and what his brain is screaming at him.

 

[Jon Potter]

Rebrey looks at the little girl, hair matted with dust, clothes ragged and torn, barefoot, and comtemplates what his heart tells him , and what his brain is screaming at him.

Can't this paladin variant Detect Evil? That outta clear things up.

Fantastically-described and fitting death for Xanonial, BTW.

And happy holiday, HM!

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Can't this paladin variant Detect Evil? That outta clear things up.

Fantastically-described and fitting death for Xanonial, BTW.

And happy holiday, HM!

He did use detect evil, and the child radiated evil. However the interesting thing about Rebrey is that his player has never played a paladin before, so as Rebrey learns to be a paladin so does his player. When the detect evil came back as "positive" for evil, his player still wanted to say "but's it's only a child, how evil could it be? Mayeb the tower is giving a false "positive?"


Thanks, that was all done for Alriand's player (who during the "child" encounter kept yelling RUN! don't stop at the other players)

Happy holiday to you too. Mine was happy as my wife actually got me gaming related stuff for X-mas, for the first time in 6 years.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Rebrey reconsiders approaching the child, his detect evil ability has given him a splitting headache. Unsure whether the child or the tower was giving him the reading, Rebrey turns his back to follow Gothmog and Tharhack up the staircase. Rebrey hears a growling from behind him, turning he catches a glimpse of a small skeleton leaping through the air, blazing red eyes and a mouth filled with needle-like teeth bear down on Rebrey. With no time to draw his weapon, Rebrey throws his arms up to his face, as the skeletal child lands on Rebrey's head.

The smell of decaying flesh enters Rebrey's nostrils, trying to keep from gagging himself and trying to keep the thing off of him, proved to be more difficult than he thought. Pieces of dead skin flake off as Rebrey fights with the creature. Hearing the commotion, Gothmog and Tharhack retreat back down the stairs, to Rebrey's side.

"What Rebrey do to little girl?" Gothmog asks

"Get it off me!" Rebrey shouts

Gothmog goes to reach form the small skeleton, and the child's skull rotates on it's spine to face Gothmog. It hisses at Gothmog and attempts to bite his hand whenever it draws near. Tharhack peers over the banister of the stairs, and can see the light from the fire dimming, not because it's going out, but because the number of zombies getting past the fire have clouded the light.

"We're about to get company real soon." Tharhack shouts to Gothmog, and Rebrey

The skeleton, turns it's attentions back to Rebrey and bites down on his forearm, sinking it's needle teeth down to his bone. Rebrey suddenly feels weak, his knees ache and his breathing becomes labored. Rebrey's legs wobble and he almost falls down. Gothmog tries again to dislodge to skeleton form Rebrey, this time instead of grabbing the skeleton, Gothmog rears back and throws a punch at the creature. The skeleton deftly dodges the blow, leaps off of Rebrey and starts up the steps towards Tharhack. The blow while missing the child, slams squarely into Rebrey's face, knocking him down and breaking his nose.

Tharhack was prepared for the little monster, and had already withdrawn Kord's holy symbol.

child of night
you will fear my light
return to your death
never again walk in undeath

Tharhack's body begins to glow, however it gives off no light. The skeleton screams, and tries to shield it's eyes, but the power of Kord shreds the child to ribbons. Skin and bone fly outward and cover the floor below the stairs.

Gothmog helps Rebrey up and apologizes for hitting him.

"Why didn't you do that earlier?" Rebrey asks

"I need to save as many attempts as I can. Who knows what we'll face further up." Tharhack answers

The trio climb about fifty steps, the light from the fire completely fades now, blinding Rebrey to the dark. The steps end in another landing, only this one has stairs leading off to the right and left.

"Which way?" Gothmog asks

"Right." Tharhack replies

"Why right?" Gothmog asks

"We've got two choices, and no time to debate it. Right we go." Tharhack answers

Gothmog carries Rebrey to the right stairs, and begins to ascend.

"This is a good sign." Tharhack states

"What is?" Rebrey asks

"These stairs are only four feet wide, that means the zombies will have to start bunching up, that should help if we have to stop and face them." Tharhack replies

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The hooded jailor bends down and picks up what's left of Xanoniel's eyes, and eats them. Bits of dust fall from inside the hood, and land on the stone table next to Alriand. The stench from the man brings Alriand closer to full consciousness. Alriand looks back over at Emthur, who's staring intently into a crystal ball.

"Looks like there's a chance we may have visitors." Emthur states looking up at the jailor "Go and give them a personal greeting."

The jailor grunts at Emthur and then leaves the room.

"Are you a wizard?" Alriand asks

"Bah, a wizard? Such a boring moniker. I much prefer a sage of eternal life." Emthur answers proudly

"A witch sent me to kill you." Alriand tells Emthur

"Did she now? I see that all of your skill in that area has brought you to me bound and helpless, about to be part of the negative energy plane." Emthur answers with a smile

"I'll pass." Alriand answers

"Yes, you will. Pass into another state of being, maybe you'll meet up with your druid friend, and you two can pass eternity brushing up on your assassination skills." Emthur replies

"You realize you just killed the heir to an elven kingdom? There's going to be hell to pay when that comes out." Alriand tells Emthur

"Your friend was blubbering something along those lines when she passed to shadow, I also assume you'll be blubbering about something as your life is taken to fuel mine." Emthur states

"Look who's blabbering now." Alriand taunts Emthur

Emthur smiles at Alriand, "I don't get much in the way of visitors, even ones with as bad an attitude as yours. I figure I owed you a proper explanation of what you're about to experience, but since you seem eager to go, we can start now." Emthur says walking over to the urn and raising his arms over it.

"That's not what I meant, we can still talk, you don't have to do this. Tharhack! Rebrey! Hurry!" Alriand shouts as the stone begins to vibrate and give off a low droning noise.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

The three men climb the narrow flight of stairs, Tharhack leading the way, followed by Rebrey, with Gothmog taking the rear. Although weakened, Rebrey demanded that he be allowed to traverse the stairs on his own power, and not under Gothmog's.

"Shh, I heard a woman screaming. There it is again." Tharhack comments

"What are they saying?" Rebrey asked straining to hear as well

"I couldn't tell, we're close though, maybe only a floor below." Tharhack answers

The stairs twist upwards and end in a wooden door, shaped like a coffin.

"Quaint, must remind the owner of home." Tharhack comments about the door

Tharhack tries the knob, only to find it stuck in place. Using both hands, and some leverage, and Tharhack still can't get the knob to budge. Gothmog offers to try, and after a few choice words about the knob, Gothmog is able to twist the knob completely off. Gothmog hands the knob to Tharhack with a smile on his face.

"Here, Gothmog bring you piece of door TharHACK wanted." Gothmog tells Tharhack

Rebrey, thinking the door is now open, puts his hands up and walks into the still shut door.

"Hey, the door is still shut" Rebrey comments, while Tharhack looks on in stunned silence. The only response he has for Gothmog is a "Thank you" to which Gothmog replies "Welcome."

"Gothmog not know you want door open, here Gothmog open for blind man." Gothmog slams his fist onto the door, causing the locking mechanism to break. The door, which was built to swing outward, now swings inward.

A stench of wet earth, and rotting meat fills the air. Looking into the room, Gothmog sees a lone figure in the center of the circular room. It's face is shrouded by a hood, as it raises a bony finger at Gothmog, and motions for him to come inside.

"Smelly man in room want to fight." Gothmog says to the half-orc and Rebrey

Tharhack peers into the room, and then back down the staircase as the zombie horde plows up the stairs four by four. "I like the three to one odds better than one hundred to three."

"As do I." Rebrey replies.

Gothmog nods in agreement, then charges into the room. The Son of Kyuss waits until Gothmog is fully in the room, before lashing out with the spiked chain it held with it's opposite hand. The end of the chain slams into the side of Gothmog's face, cutting a gash into Gothmog's cheek and shattering his eardrum. Gothmog, however, remains undeterred by the surprise attack. Closing the distance in four steps, Gothmog brings his greatsword to bear against the jailor, sending a punishing blow down on the jailor's left arm. The sword however only manages to sink half in inch into the desiccated arm. Gothmog looks on in disbelief as he withdraws his blade, the jailor however seems to chuckle, and removes his hood to reveal the truth about his origins.

"Another not-dead man." Gothmog shouts back at Tharhack and Rebrey.

"You go next, after you get in, I'll follow and brace the door against the zombies." Rebrey tells Tharhack.

"You'll never hold it." Tharhack replies

"Well, you'll just have to hurry won't you." Rebrey answers, shoving Tharhack into the room

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The headache inducing humming of the stone slab that Alriand is strapped to, couldn't drown out the commotion occurring outside the door to the room she was in.

"La, La La, La la la. My friends are coming to recuse me, you're too late." Alriand taunts Emthur

"Too late for what? You're future has already been sealed, regardless of what walks through that door, your life-force will be feeding me for the rest of, well eternity." Emthur replies

Emthur begins chanting over the urn, Alriand feels a strange pull at her from a force under her. Feeling herself getting weaker by the second, Alriand calls out one last time for help.

"Alriand?! I heard her." Tharhack yells

"GO! We got this." Rebrey yells back, as he props the door closed with his body.

Tharhack looks over to Gothmog, who nods in agreement, Tharhack then takes off for the door beyond the undead figure. The jailor seeing Tharhack's advance, brings the spiked chain back low, beginning an attempt to trip the cleric before he reaches the door. Seeing the chain go back, Gothmog leaps onto the Son of Kyuss, throwing it's wind-up off. The two creatures fall to the floor, as they both reach for each others throats.

Tharhack reaches the door, and throws it open. His eyes catch just a glimpse of the room, before a snaking black streak strikes Tharhack in the gut. The black lightning fills Tharhack with incredible cold, Tharhack feels himself falling even though his body remains standing. The smiling visage of Emthur looks on happily.

Rebrey feels the negative energy behind him, turning his head, he sees Tharhack fall face first through the doorway. Turning again, he sees Gothmog trying the choke out the undead guy.

"You can't choke something that doesn't need to breathe." Rebrey yells at Gothmog

Gothmog looks down and sees that Rebrey's words are true, he also sees the worms writhing out of it's eye sockets and up Gothmog's arm. Panicking, Gothmog plants his left foot, and wings the undead man into the far wall. Unfazed, the Son of Kyuss rises to his feet immediately. Gothmog lets out a roar and throws his hand up at the creature, sending a stream of fire blazing into the man, igniting his tattered clothes and the fallen stack of books he landed in.

Emthur turns his attention back to Alriand, "I've always wanted a cleric for a servant, plus wraiths are so handy to have around."

Alriand's eyes roll to the back of her head, as the symbol carved into her chest begins to glow. Bursting forth from her fur vest, the symbol shines upon the ceiling.

"What's this?" Emthur stands momentarily confused, as the symbol burns a hole through ceiling, and into a room above.

Alriand begins to convulse as the symbol burns it's way through the top of the tower, letting light from the sun into the room. The room becomes awash with light, except for the urn with struggles to devour all of this new energy. Cracks begin to show along the side of the urn, as Emthur tries in vain to halt the process. Not knowing what else to do, Emthur raises the urn, and shatters it against the small table.

There is a great updraft of wind almost as if all air was suddenly sucked out of the room, and then a huge explosion of energy, as Emthur is bathed in the dark glow of the negative material plane and the rest of the room is filled with positive energy. The energy shines out in the next room, causing the Son of Kyuss to disintegrate, and fueling the fire as it erupts into a huge wall of flame. Rebrey releases the door and the zombies push through only to be consumed by the pure light, the weakness incurred by the child's bite is washed away in the glow. Tharhack, whose body was awaiting the decay that came with rising as an undead, is instantly healed.

Emthur watches in horror as the skin on his arms peel away, leaving the exposed muscles and tendons, which then dry up and begin flaking away. Soon all that's left is bone and a little flesh. The skin on his face shrinks and recedes, pulling away from his mouth his skin tears, ripping a huge gash across his head. His eyes spin vertically and sink into their sockets, they are replaced by two fine points of red light. Screaming from the pain Emthur grips his head, and pulls off his skin like a mask.

"No, no. It wasn't supposed to be like this." Emthur's agony soon turns to hatred as Tharhack stands and shakes his senses back to the present.