A Rock and a Hard Place
Subject: Re: what mission and rennik see
OOC: Since Mission has already gone again this is a bit moot, but Garyth would have agreed that checking the other tunnel is a good idea.
From: Ty
Subject: pause
Still working out some stuff with just scott and matt. New turn coming.
From: Ty
Subject: hey everybody!
Get a user ID on sakeriver and add your character to Mike's cool new character sheets. I will do some updating to get them to match mine, and then we can use them from now on. That way no more confusion over what stuff you have!
I was going to add them, but decided it was too much.
From: Matt
Subject: The end of the tunnel
Emerging with Mission from the darkness as the monk unveils a tiny corner of the glowing gauntlet, Rennik details a disheartening scene.
"The tunnel ends at a guarded dead end with a ladder back toward the surface, likely into the temple itself."
"The Brute's men climbed the ladder and disappeared, save one who stayed behind waiting impatiently. There were three crossbowmen in leathers, one warrior in platemail, and the Brute's man, and their position was very defensible."
He paused.
"There are only four now. The warrior in platemail had an argument with the Brute's man and slowly bludgeoned him to death with a heavy flail. The crossbowmen said nothing. One of the Brute's men came down to investigate, and shrugged off the death as meaningless. The man's body still lies beneath the table, while the crossbowmen play cards. These are not men, but soulless monsters."
Turning to glance at Mission, he continues.
"Our companion's scouting has uncovered an even more serious threat, I'm afraid. There are twenty zombies waiting, stock still and unmoving, in the side tunnel to the south. He even went so far as to touch one before he realized they were there, but they did not attack. They seem content to wait for something."
"I think it is us."
He takes a breath and scratches at his hairline before continuing.
"It would have been a perfect ambush. We devise some clever plan to attack the makeshift fortifications at the end of the tunnel, and the zombies attack from behind. While we are distracted, the Brute's men descend the rope ladder and catch us in the middle. We would not stand a chance."
"Yet, our options are limited. We could try to eliminate the zombies first, but twenty are many to attack without drawing more attention. We could try to seal the zombies in their tunnel, which again might draw attention... or..."
"We could attempt to slip by the zombies, hoping they are triggered only by an assault on the tunnel's end. They did not attack Mission when they could have easily overpowered him... perhaps if we slid by one by one, they would pay us as little mind."
Furrowing his brow, he adds, "Of course, it would mean certain death for any in that tunnel should the zombies decide to break their trance."
From: Raja
Subject: Re: The end of the tunnel
"Twenty? Closely packed together in the side tunnel?" Sa'id smirks to himself in the dark. "If we choose to reveal ourselves with a frontal assault, I could incinerate the lot of them." He continues, careful to keep his voice as quiet as possible. "I wish, though, that I had another use of my invisibility spell. The zombies are likely to trigger on one of two things -- either an attack on the barricade, as you say, or on Cadfael's presence. I suspect it is the former. Your plan, while I freely admit it makes me nervous, is sound."
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The end of the tunnel
Mission turns to Sa'id. "Who said anything about Cadfael?" He keeps his voice soft. "Not I. Nor Rennick, that I remember.
"What is it about Cadfael, do you think, that would trigger the zombies, Sa'id?"