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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 1626174" data-attributes="member: 16069">The Wannabe Wednesday Knights.SESSION XXXVI.Chewsday 28th Mork 2000The Dead Center.Characters presentZanakand Male Dwarf Fighter level 1 (Kev. M.)Greta Goldgarth Female Elven Priest of Corellan level 1 (Wayne)Fred Male Human Fighter level 1 (Emma) Lea Female Halfling Thief level 1 (Erin)Down the stairs they go, Lea slightly ahead of the others, scanning and checking the way for traps or other pitfalls. The small chamber with the stairs in leads through a wooden door into a ten-foot long corridor, the doors here are rotten and open easily, sometimes crumbling when pushed open with force. Down the corridor and out into a much longer corridor of flagged stone, only five feet wide this time, it disappears into the darkness.There are two doors, one on either side of the corridor, the adventurers investigate and discover a chamber with a relatively intact altar to Pelor. Lea meanwhile discovers a secret compartment in which there are a number of flasks of colourless liquid- Greta identifies it as Holy Water, the adventurers stock up.The second chamber contains a number of rotten coffins alongside some rusty tools- nothing of interest.The adventurers file out and begin to head into the darkness down the corridor, only ten feet down an alcove is discovered, with rusty bars preventing access. Piled to the ceiling behind the bars are the bones and skulls of the dead.“Feck.”“Does that open?”Lea tries to find an access point but sees none; Fred lurches over to test the strength of the bars.“Solid.”“Good.”Cautiously the adventurers continue on, into the darkness- another chamber appears, piled again to the ceiling with the bones of the dead.“Pelor.”Then another…“Oh feck I really don’t like this.”And then an empty chamber.“Phew.”“That’s better.”And then a double chamber, both sides of the corridor, the skulls and limbs of the skeletons spill out, the adventurers having to edge past the outstretched arms and clawed hands.“Feck feck feck feck feck…”Lea begins to hyperventilate and is scooped up by Fred who pushes past the horrors, in the light ahead another double chamber appears, the Halfling Rogue begins to gibber and mumble to herself.“Must stay alive, not be dead, stay alive, got to stay alive, alive, alive.”Fred pushes on, Zan following behind alert as ever, Greta with her Holy Symbol going before.Eventually they pass through and to a T-junction, they take a moment to rest up.“It’s ok Lea it’s over- we’re through.”“Stay alive, stay alive… must stay alive, promised mum I’d stay alive, not dead, alive.”Five minutes later and a whole lot less nervous Lea takes point again and heads west, the corridor grows cold, ice has formed on the floor, the adventurers torches illuminate a solid black metal door. It has no handle or means of egress; waves of freezing cold seem to pulse from it. Lea turns to shake her head-“Not good.”She sidles closer but is put off when the cold grips hold of her, freezing the snot in her nose, making her face ache furiously, she steps back.“Let’s find another way.”“Can’t hurt, let’s come back, let’s try the other way first.”The others nod agreement and Lea happier scuttles to the front and leads them off again.Thirty seconds later they find themselves in a large underground temple area, moving along a central aisle flanked either side by huge stone sarcophagi- ahead a pale quivering light; there’s a strange hum in the air.“Have you farted?”“Sorry, I’m a bit nervous.”The adventurers press on towards the light, at the end of the aisle there are several steps leading up to a much larger stone sarcophagi- gingerly Lea climbs the first step.The light swirls and coalesces, for a second it is blinding, like dawn’s first rays- lighting up the entire chamber. As the adventurers look up from shielding their eyes standing before them is a being made of shimmering light- a Knight by the look of things. Greta instantly recognises the heraldic design on the Knight’s shield.“A Paladin of Pelor”, she whispers, the others nod, somewhat in awe.The spirit holds up his hand in a symbol of greeting, and of peace- the creature speaks in a voice, which is not so much heard as felt inside.“For many years I have awaited the arrival of your band Greta Goldgarth. Your quest is known to Almighty Pelor, Sun God, he blesses you for your efforts.”“Hang on, what do you mean, ‘your band’?”The Knight stops open mouthed and looks uncomfortable.“It’s as much my band as it is hers.”Zanakand looks grumpily at Greta, and adds.“It was my bloody idea in the first place…”The dwarf continues to mumble as Greta nods to the spectral Knight who continues his spiel…“Your quest can only end when the wretch Ceruvan has been laid to final rest by the power of Pelor. The entrance to the Cleric’s Tombs were sealed in madness years ago and is beyond your power to open…”“The cold door.” Lea whispers very loudly, everyone, even the grumbling Dwarf, turns to stare at her, “sorry, but it’s the cold door isn’t it… it is isn’t it?”The Knight nods, then continues-“I will perform one last task for my Lord Pelor, I will break the magic that guards the entrance to the tomb, even though it will cost me my immortal soul.”Even the Dwarf has stopped mumbling; Zan looks suitably cowed at the gravity of the spirits last words.The spectral Knight paces towards the adventurers, who part to allow him past, bowing their heads. The Knight stops and touches Zan on the shoulder; he looks up, his face bathed in the cold white light.“My spirit will live on, sheathed in steel and as sharp as Pelor’s light, forged to cut through the darkness. It will be up to you find the way- through the darkness; fear not stout Dwarf you will keep the path.”Zan puffs out his chest; he looks resolute, maybe even stout.Lea giggles behind her hand and whispers to Fred, “stout dwarf… Zan.”The Knight strides on the adventurers falling into line, like some ghostly procession, to the cold, cold door.The spirit begins to grimace, as if in pain, dispelling the magic of the door- the electric hum of the creature builds in intensity. The adventurers edge back, until with a loud explosion, which seems to linger in the air, the spectral Knight explodes into a million different shards and flecks of light.The light fades replaced by the adventurers’ own torchlight- the ghost Knight is gone, in his place wedged into the hard stone floor is a gleaming longsword, bathed in light. Zan creeps forward to grasp the hilt of the weapon, as he does so there's a loud click followed by an ominous creak the door ahead swings open.Dawn of the Dead.A musty damp corridor stretches into the distance, the adventurers creep forward, Lea and then Zan leading the way. Torchlight reveals a pair of large stone doors; one on either side of the corridor- Zan and Fred put their shoulder against one-“Stuck.” The Dwarf nods, Lea creeps ahead, while the pair try the other door.“Don’t go too far.” Greta calls to Lea who has just passed another pair of the stone doors, the corridor continues on.“I don’t like… what was that?”Lea spins round, the closest door to her is opening, a moment later the other shudders then moves.“YOU GUYS.”Meanwhile…“They’re both stuck.” The Dwarf shrugs at Fred, who nods back then reaches out to lean on the door to get his breath back- the door swings open, Fred falls forward and is lost in the darkness. Standing in the doorway on the opposite side is a Priest, quite obviously- it has half its face missing, a dead priest.“ZOMBIES.” The cry goes out.Meanwhile, back at the front…Lea is faced by four Zombie Priests, ahead looks clear, a shimmy left, dodge right and tumble forward later she’s past all four of the slow moving creatures. Lea rushes on, away from the other adventurers and into a clear space- no Zombies.Meanwhile, at the back…“By the power of…”Greta’s Holy Symbol shines gold and green- several of the Zombies retreat into the tomb they have just exited, pulling the door shut behind them.“For feckin’ Pelor.”Zan steps in and slashes- decapitating a Zombie in one fell swoop; he grins to himself and only just stops himself from kissing/licking the blade when he sees the gore matting it. Grimacing he lunges and cleans the blade by stabbing it through the next Zombie, the sword goes in gory and comes out clean-ish.The area is clear- temporarily.Greta leaps into the open doorway, through which Fred fell, there lying on the floor weaponless is Fred doing a fair impression of a break-dancing epileptic, surrounding the big lug are three more Zombies leaning in to claw and grapple.The Holy Symbol comes out again… nothing happens, the Zombies don’t even look up.Zan rushes into the room and skewers one of the creatures- the other two take notice and stagger towards the screaming dwarf.“COME ON, I’ll tek the lotta yus.”Meanwhile, back at the front.Lea looks a little nervous, from the second pair of stone doors (she passed) six Zombies have emerged- three head towards her, while another three head back down the corridor towards Zan et al. Lea swaps to her crossbow-“THUNG”It doesn’t seem to slow the Zombie down any, she begins to retreat, further away from the others, suddenly she stops short- she has an itch, it’s right in the center of her back- where you can’t reach no matter how hard you try. She turns swiftly- coming down the corridor towards her are another half-dozen, at least, of the rotten Zombie Priests.“YOU GUYS… REALLY, I’M NOT JOKING- A LITTLE HELP PLEASE.”Meanwhile, back at the back.Greta tries again, her Holy Symbol glows and the two remaining Zombies back away- Zan steps in and drags the grasping, and indeed gasping, Fred to his feet. Fred shouts to be heard-“RETREAT. We must get out.”Fred moves at speed through the door, back out into the corridor, Greta follows- Zan menaces the two retreating Zombies as if to finish the job, then thinks better of it, he turns swiftly and rushes for the exit.“THUNKFECK.”He misjudges the doorway in the heat of the moment and as he hears Fred’s shouts from outside in the passage.“ZAN- QUICK- MORE OF ‘EM.”Zan lies on the floor, stunned; having just ran into the doorframe. Greta and Fred turn round to see the dwarf waving to them to indicate he’s ok, just a little… Zan gets up, staggers, and then falls down again… dizzy.The pair do a double take- Zan crawling on all fours- towards the other doorway (the wrong direction- for anything), three more Zombies are approaching and somewhere further down the corridor, possibly somewhere near the large knot of Zombies in the distance, is Lea.Greta takes charge-“Help him…”The Priest holds forth her Holy Symbol; the three Zombies approaching cower and turn away. Greta then casts a spell.Fred watches the Priest walk by the frightened Zombies then bends to grab Zan, a couple of slaps later the dwarf is making sense.“WoodneSDAY, crab pasTE, TEA Kettle, FLANGE.”Fred tries a delicate right hook. The Dwarf straightens and spits out a tooth- Zan watches the offending peg as it skitters onto the ground.“If that was me gold toof you’d have problems right now strider.”Fred nods and looks a little scared.“Right then- let’s go get ‘em.”Zan makes a few practice swipes with the Longsword and strides towards the Zombies- Fred follows, grinning from ear to ear.Meanwhile, back at the front.Lea is surrounded.“THUNK”“FECKING COME ON.”“THUNK”“YOU GUYS.”“THUNK”“OH YOU WANT SOME OF THIS, DO YA?”“THUNK”“GET SOME.”“THUNK”The Zombies both sides are closing in, less than fifteen feet away from the beleaguered Lea.“OH FECK. IF YOU CAN HEAR ME YOU LOT THEN YOU’RE DEAD… DEAD I TELL YA.”“THUNK”“What’s the fecking use.”Lea throws down her crossbow and draws her sword- it looks small, as does she.“COME ON YOU FECKERS.”When stepping out of the crowd,“‘Scuse me.”Comes Greta- Lea is a little astonished.“Wha’?”“Invisibility to Undead- nice isn’t it. Hang on.”Greta cancels the spell and appears Holy Symbol in hand… “FWHOOOOM.”Swiftly followed by a light spell- the Zombies shield their eyes, stagger a bit and generally mill- not knowing quite what to do.Greta and Lea wade in, weapons drawn- this proves to be the anticlimax of the rescue, a Zombie Priest spins round and backhands Lea- a tremendous blow, the halfling slams into the wall and slumps down to the floor- not breathing.“ZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN.”Greta screams as the Zombie in question is almost split in two by a gleaming Longsword.”“Yep.”Fred mashes away at another of the foul creatures, more surge towards the group- Greta quickly darts to Lea’s side and begins her healing magic- soon after the halfling opens her eyes- in pain, but very much alive.Fred and Zan press on into a wall of rotting death- there are still half-a-dozen of the Zombie Priests in combat- with others approaching. Back the way the adventurers came, a tomb opens and those previously turned by the Priest begin to exit. The fight rages when…“COME ON. OH YOU WANT SOME. AND YOU. GET SOME. GET SOME. GET SOME.”DONG“HUH.”Zan topples forward his helmet slipping over his eyes, the dwarf does his X-marks-the-spot impression, out cold- behind him a Zombie Priest wielding a battered mace does its best to grin.“What?”Fred does a double take and then snatches up Zan’s Longsword.“FOR ZAN.”And runs the thing through, Greta quickly scuttles over to the fallen dwarf while Lea, grimacing all the while, staggers to her feet- hoping to make a better fist of it this time.Fred with the magic Longsword is a sight to behold- possibly even more devastating than Zan, Lea tries to stay hidden behind the huge warrior, darting out to deliver stabs and swipes that make it even more difficult for the Zombies to co-ordinate their attacks.Moments later Greta joins the cause, Zan was stunned rather than actually hurt, the dwarf shakes his head to clear the mist, while Greta stands beside Fred to form a wall beyond which none shall pass.Soon after the three adventurers begin to press ahead- taking the fight to the shambling undead, a further half-dozen of the tottering Zombie Priests are dispatched before the fight is over.They rest.Aftermath.“That was…”“Yeah.”Zan is back to his old self somewhere between grinning like an idiot and looking glum- a happy-go-lucky manic depressive, his wounds have all been healed.Fred suffered only a few cuts and bruises- he tends not to feel the pain anyway, surveying the undead dead he can’t help but smile, a kinda “I did that”, expression on his face.Greta survived the fracas unscathed, although she’s almost out of spells and her ability to ward off undead is also very low- she’s determined to see it through however.Lea has suffered the most, she is scarred and not a little scared, there’s been a lot of horror for Lea, she comforts herself with the thought that she has survived all the same- against all odds.The adventurers check their weapons, tighten straps and secure their belongings- healing over and dinner finished (mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes on granary foccacia all washed down with a litre of Diet Fanta), they head on.The End is Nigh.The six tombs, from which the Zombie Priests emerged, are searched, one-by-one, with nothing of interest found. The eighteen dead Zombie Priests are dragged out of the way- the corridor cleared for a quick retreat. The adventurers press on to…A crevasse splits the path, on the opposite side, maybe eight to ten feet across the corridor continues on and almost directly into a larger unlit chamber.Lea grits her teeth and runs full pelt and leaps the crevasse, she came first at long jump at school, Greta follows suit. Between them they dig out a rope ladder from Lea’s pack and fling it across so it bridges the gap. Fred holds one end while; Lea and Greta hold the other- Zan begins to crawl across the taut bridge.“I don’t like this, I don’t…”“Don’t look down Zan, you’re doing great.”The Dwarf waddles over on all fours as the rope bridge bucks and sways.“What’s that clicking noise.”Lea who’s not really helping to hold the ladder, actually just doing facial impressions of someone straining, picks up the lantern and moves to the edge of the crevasse- the light shines out, and down.Ten or so feet down the crevasse is a huge caterpillar like creature, except without skin- just bones, it’s maw is circled by a bunch of writhing tendon like tentacles or feelers.“PELOR!”The dwarf begins to shimmy faster but the creature is quicker, soon the tentacles search out the ladder, and then Zan’s hands that grip it tight, the sinuous feelers circle round to grasp the dwarf’s arms and legs. A tug of love begins- the Skeletal Carrion Crawler’s love of dwarf meat vs. the adventurers love of Zan.“OH FECK.”“FRED, let go when I say. LEA grab on.”Lea quickly slings a flask of Holy Water at the creature, it smashes on impact, the creature sizzles as it burns, unwrapping several of its tentacles. Lea joins Greta and grabs hold of the ladder.“NOW.”Fred lets go and the ladder swings to the far side, causing Zan to thump against the side of the crevasse, a rung breaks, but Zan hangs on while Greta and Lea take the strain. Greta and Lea begin to pull but the Crawler wraps four tentacles around Zan’s legs.“THAT’S IT, THAT’S IT- MAKE ME TALL.”Fred has nothing to throw and so is reduced to throwing stones that ping off the creature, doing little or no damage.Suddenly three more rungs break and Zan shoots down five or so feet grabbing the last but one.“I FEEL TALLER. I FEEL TALLER, NOW GET ME OUT.”Zan slips down to the last rung.Fred abandons the rocks and leaps the crevasse landing neatly on the other side- he swiftly goes to help Greta and Lea pull up the dwarf.“Come on we’ve got ya…”PINGThe last rung breaks.“ArrrTHUMP.”Zan falls, well, about 4-5 feet, and thumps into the Skeletal Carrion Crawler, which in turn slips about 5 feet down with the added weight of the dwarf. Zan begins to kick at the face of the creature with his hobnailed boots- it’s about know that the evil Undead Spirit of Crawler wishes he/it hadn't bothered.“ZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-oh you’re there.”“Throw me a rope.”THUMP- THUMP.The rope sails by Zan- still curled in a neat circle. Back up top Greta and Fred stare at Lea for a second.“Wh…”“I didn’t think it through.”Down below Zan is smiling.THUMP“Come on this is easy.”THUMP“Ya big Jessie.”THUMpWHOOSHThe Crawler/Dwarf combo suddenly descends at speed, then suddenly lurches as the creature catches gets a fresh grip of the wall, it seems that kicking the thing in the head is not having the desired affect. Zan looks down; the darkness goes on forever.“HELP, GET ME OUT OF HERE. GET ME OUT. PLEASE- it’s dark down here…”The Crawler is doing it’s best to stop Zan from stamping on it’s face but the mad dwarf has worked up a sweat now, several more kicks and gravel and loose rock begin to skitter away as the creature starts to lose its grip again.The dwarf looks up to his companions, now twenty feet above, a look of resignation on his face.“GO ON… I’LL, I’LL STAY HERE… MAY MORADIN BLE…”“JUST GRAB THE FECKING ROPE.”Fred’s rope is about eight feet away, swaying, Zan cannot reach.Then the Crawler falls.The moment lasts forever.Zan leaps towards the rope…“AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.”And catches hold, he rolled a “20”, the others drag the grinning fat dwarf back to the surface.“Well that was easy.”The three rescuers crowd round the dwarf patting his back, shoulder, chest etc. just to confirm that he’s real, they’re all grinning.“Come on, let’s get this finished.”“Hang on.”Zan unsheathes the Holy Longsword and passes it to Fred.“You take it… you’re better than me with it.”Fred nods as he feels again the weight of the weapon.“Let’s go.”Dead again.The room opens out, a temple of sorts; a low cold mist grips the floor of the chamber seemingly drifting from a large sarcophagi on a dais at the far end of the chamber. A broken statue of a priest in the center of the chamber bears what’s left of a Holy Symbol of Pelor.The four adventurers move further into the chamber, an eerie red glow begins to form on the top of the sarcophagi…“Look…”Atop the huge stone tomb is a skeletal figure, it’s hand hangs limply over the side, it still grasps a blood red dagger.“Ceruvan?”Greta nods.Cautiously they approach.Suddenly the red mist swirls, as if with a new impetus, the hand clutching the dagger stiffens and the creature rises to the sitting position and in one-bound leaps from the tomb.The adventurers draw swords and look to each other and then to their enemy, as Greta nods for the final attack to begin the creature speaks.“Fools! Your quest is for nought. My soul is eternal, you will suffer in eternity, the forces of darkness will conquer the light, as they did before. The temple failed, lost to your pathetic Sun God, you are lost, and lost you will remain here for ever.”The creature shrieks screams and rushes forward- the adventurers rush to meet the eerily red glowing skeleton.Fred strikes first the magical Longsword plunges into the rib cage of the creature, white-hot light pours forth from the blade engulfing the creature, it screams…The smoke clears as slumped to the floor the skeleton lies motionless, the adventurers gather around- slowly flesh begins to encase it till a fully formed human priest, Ceruvan lies on the floor. Perfect except for the hole in his chest, where the heart should be, burnt through by the Holy Longsword.“That was plop.”“How easy?”“Are you sure he’s dead.”“He’s undead.”“Did you see that attack- nice one Fred.”For the record that was another “20”- why do they insist in chopping up my end of level bad guys in ten seconds flat.Fred admires the sword then follows Lea, who’s gone to check out the sarcophagi, Greta heads over to the statue of Pelor, Zan meanwhile stands above the body.Eventually the dwarf kneels down to inspect the corpse.“HHAARRGGHH.”The corpse sits bolt upright its hand’s wrap around Zan’s neck, squeezing the life from him.The others react- Greta and Fred rush in as the Zan’s eyes begin to close- he’s losing conscious. The two grapple with Ceruvan attempting to wrestle Zan free, Lea skitters in and stabs at the creature- her sword doesn’t even break the skin. The creature grins, and begins to giggle.Eventually, smashing at the corpses arms, Zan is dragged free and collapses on the ground, the corpse is on his feet in seconds and lunges at Greta, Zan gasping for air rises, Lea swings again- her weapon rebounds again.Zan charges from behind the corpse, who is still grappling both Greta and Fred, Zan’s axe falls.“THWONK.”And rebounds away, knocking the dwarf over once again.Greta and Fred break free- both have been mauled and scratched and are bleeding profusely. Greta lashes out with her Longsword, it two rebounds away- not even a crease in Ceruvan’s flesh.Fred draws the Holy Sword, the creature stops what it’s doing, it stops giggling, slashes the air and backs away.Lea dodges away and behind the creature, which is still backing away from the sword- Greta is dizzy and near to collapse, Zan is out on his feet barely conscious, even Fred is breathing hard.The dwarf raises his axe and with his last ounce of strength charges, Ceruvan grins and giggles again- as long as it’s not the sword, the creature makes ready to receive the dwarf.“Come an’ get it fatty.” Only five feet from his quarry Zan hurls the axe at the creature who just in time diverts the it away with its iron-strong forearms, it grins again, as the fat dwarf barrels into the creatures midriff- knocking it off balance.“OOOooF.”And over Lea who is crouched behind Ceruvan, the creature whacks into the cold stone floor, arms spread wide for a second in shock and surprise- just the opening Fred was looking for. The Holy Longsword spears down through the mouth of the creature and out the back of its head and into the stone floor.The creature is pinned.Once again the burning white holy light engulfs the creature which scrambles and screams, trying to break free but unable to touch the blade.The adventurers scoot out of the way to watch while Ceruvan continues to scream as his face is eaten away, replaced by the light, thirty seconds later all that’s left is the burnt remains of the creature. This too begins to crumble as time catches up with thrice dead priest; soon all that is left is dust… and a ring.Greta reaches down and picks the ring up.The four adventurers stand, heads bowed, and give thanks.“I enjoyed dat.”“Mmm.” Lea doesn’t sound so sure.“We should do this… for a living?”“Yep.” Zan nods.“Yeah.” Fred grins.“Mmm.” Lea looks worried.And thus the session that is numbered 36 comes to an end.Zan (Fighter), Greta (Cleric) and Lea (Rogue) are all up to second level. Next week… The missing turns, maybe.</blockquote>

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