Zombies Round 1, Rennik Jumps In
Subject: Re: The Hole; Undercurrents (surprise)
Rennik sets to work chopping a suitably sized tree down to serve as a floatation device, blissfully ignorant of the quietly dying people down below who don't have sense enough to call for help
::hums while he works::.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The Hole; Undercurrents (surprise)
Um. . . Garyth IS calling for help.
From your character in specific, too. . .
:)
From: Matt
Subject: Re: The Hole; Undercurrents (surprise)
Damnit! Another email I missed. Last I got from Garyth was a question as to how many zombies were attacking him.
That makes three I've defnitely missed this week. I don't know if AO-Hell is screening them out or what.
Could someone forward that along?
From: Scott
Subject: Forwarding Garyth's 'Help!'
Garyth surfaces with a roar. Quickly trying to assess the situation, he looks about. Mission is also struggling, but there is no sign of Sa'id. He begins to look for the wizard, but it is all he can do to keep the cold hands off of him. He can only hope that Sa'id manages to free himself. That, and call for help.
Drawing his sword, he shouts, "Rennik! Danger!" and attacks the nearest zombie.
From: Matt
Subject: Forwarding Garyth's 'Help!'
(OOC: The email gods want you to die, Sa'id... just so you know)
Rennik hears Garyth's scream from the pit and springs to action. Closing one eye, Rennik drops his pack and gear on the ground, leaving everything that would weigh him down in the water except for his armor and his dagger. He puts the dagger between his teeth and slides down the rope into the water with a splash.
When he surfaces, he'll open his closed eye, which would be at least ten seconds or so more accustomed to the darkness - a trick he learned can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.
Once in the water, he'll swim toward Garyth and Mission, dagger still between his teeth. When close enough, he'll draw his dagger and attack the nearest zombie.
From: Ty
Subject: The hole; undercurrents 1
[initiative order is garyth, zombie1, zombie3, zombie4, zombie5, sa'id, rennik, mission, zombie2, zombie6]
Garyth pushes away the momentary panic at not seeing Sa'id surface. Flailing about looking for the wizard while dodging two zombies won't help anyone. So, instead, he decides to destroy his own monsters first, then help when he can. After shouting to Rennik above, he waits for a zombie to try and grab him, then feeling a hand on his leg, plunges his sword into the water where he thinks the zombies body is. [Attack 19, hit; hidden enemy roll 38%, hit; Damage 10] The attack strikes home, and the zombies hand twitches once on his leg, then goes still. [Zombie 1 killed. I rolled HP for each zombie, and zombie 1 had by far the fewest HP, though he had the best initiative roll. Poor zombie 1]
Mission hears Garyth's shout of triumph as he kills the first zombie, but before he can say anything in return, two zombies burst up out of the water and attack. Clearly, the remaining zombies have given up on trying to drown the party. [Zombie 3 slam 10; miss][zombie 4 slam 22, possible critical, threat roll 10, crit failed, hit; damage 6] The first zombie is easily sidestepped, but the water slows Mission's normally graceful movements, and the second zombie brings both heavy arms down across his shoulders, nearly breaking his collar bones.
Under the water, Sa'id is still struggling with his two foes. He attempts to get leverage on the bottom of the tunnel to push the zombies off him, but keep concentrating on holding his breath at the same time. [concentration roll 25; 1 round of air lost, no additional rounds lost] [opposing grapple roll 17 / zombie roll 9; breaks free] With concentration honed in countless hours of magical study, Sa'id is able to push away panic, and keep his heartrate down even as he fights the zombie. Shoving upward with all his strength, he feels the zombie's grip weaken, and is able to kick it away. The second zombie still grips his other leg [opposing grapple roll 8 / zombie roll 7], but with only one leg in its hands, it can't maintain leverage, and Sa'id yanks his leg free. If he can only stay free of them for a few a second more, he can get back to the surface.
Garyth yanks his sword free of the dead zombie just as a second zombie rises out of the water and attacks. [Zombie 2 slam 6; miss] He is able to easily block its clumsy attack with the flat of his sword.
Sa'id is desperately pushing off the bottom to get back to the surface when the last zombie tries to recapture his leg. [Zombie 6 grapple; touch attack 12 vs touch AC 13; miss] [Attack of opportunity, Sa'id roll 17, hit, hidden enemy roll 62%, miss] Sa'id feels the zombie grabbing at his leg, and thrusts his staff downward in a powerful blow. Unfortunately, with his eyes closed, it is difficult to aim, and the blow does not strike home. However, having escaped, he is able to push his head above water and take a much welcome breath.
Above, Rennik is reacting to the shouts by shedding his equipment.
[Round two after I get your actions. Also, cadfael and farron can act if they wish, since they too heard the shout]
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The hole; undercurrents 1 oops
Somehow I forgot to give Mission his turn!
So:
Mission directs a flurry of blows at the nearest zombie. [Attacks 13, 15, hit; Damage 8, 11] The tattoos on his arms flare with power as the punches strike home. The undead creature is shattered by the impact, and falls into the water in several large chunks. [zombie 3 destroyed]
From: Raja
Subject: Re: The hole; undercurrents 1
Air! The rank, stale gas that passed for air in this tunnel tasted as sweet to Sa'id as his mother's homemade ba'laawa [OOC: the Greeks call it baklava]. He gulps down as much air as he can, before shouting "Zombies! Cadfael!" Attempting to get Aldon safely back onto his turban, Sa'id allows himself to broadcast his relief at having surfaced to his familiar. Looking quickly around, he sees that the zombies have broken the surface. He flips mentally through his spell repertoire and quickly realizes that Halt Undead is the best choice under the circumstances, to make things easier for the group until Cadfael can get down the rope to turn the zombies.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The hole; undercurrents 1
OOC: Can we get our hit point status? I think Mission is at 26 after the last round, but I'm not sure. . .
Father had told Mission once of Vicar Humility's descent into the the Paths of Sand and Shadow. How Humility had crawled through that hell that mirrored the Path of Stone and Blood on his hands and knees, sometimes awash in filthy rivers of water, set upon by demons of doubt and fear and anger. How Humility had won the day by silent passivity, contemplating the strength of Stone, the heat of Blood. . .
Mission concludes he is not quite yet on Humility's level-- he answers his doubt and enemies with his fists.
"Anileth!" he bellows, as he strikes one of the zombies down. "Where are you? PENANCE!"
Senseless, stupid, to cry in this darkness for her. He barely feels his cracked collarbones, as he turns on the zombie remaining in front of him. Some distant part of his mind remembers that Cale had mentioned zombies. . . mentioned them along with Elise, and that there had been a full party of men with them.
The marks on his legs and wrists thrum with his heartbeat. The heat of the Blood of the Path. Mission grits his teeth and attacks the zombie.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The hole; undercurrents 1
The rush of adrenaline combat always brings pushes all thought of the cold from Garyth's mind. One enemy down, he focuses on the remaining zombie, trying to end this quickly so he can aid his companions.