Episode 43
"Knee Deep in the Undead"

(c) 2002 Matt Grossman and J. Sage Schreiner

Tron, a lucky elf, Matt Grossman
Norel, a battle-scarred ranger, Tom Morin
Nigil, a mysterious noble from a distant land, Kevin Osborn
All others, J. Sage Schreiner

The party descends into Nightfang spire.

Yesha: I'll just wait up here, ok?

The day is already very hot, but inside the spire it is nice and
cool. It smells faintly of decay.

Tron: Say, this spire would be a pretty nice base for our campaign to
cleanse the bone march.
Nigil: No. Someone could just put catapults on the cliff edge and
drop rocks on us. If it was taller it would be defensible, but as it
is it's not much good against an army.
Norel: Unfortunately, we don't have an army. Just us.

The party descends to the second level of the spire and begins to
explore. They discover several rooms, empty except for garbage. Tron
always carefully checks for traps before opening the door, and then
checks the inside of the room for lurking vampires before entering.

They find a room with a curved opposite wall.

Norel: I guess this is the outside wall of the spire.
Tron: (looks at ceiling) All clear. (steps into room) Whaaa...!

The elf vanishes through a spring-loaded trapdoor that immediately
closes.

Nigil: Umm, Tron? Are you there?
Norel: (pokes at the trapdoor with his spear) It's pretty stiff. The
only way to open it is to stand on it. Tron?

They wait.

Norel: I wonder what happened to him?
Laurallie: If he's dead, I call dibs on his ring.
Nigil: You can have it. You don't know where it's been.

They wait some more.

Laurallie: Fine, I'll go look for him. Obad-Hai, give me the form of
the wind! (casts Gaseous Form and seeps around the edges of the
trapdoor)

Norel and Nigil wait some more.

Norel: I don't think they're coming back.
Nigil: Let's get some fresh air. I need to think about this.

They head back up to the roof.

Yesha: What have you been doing down there?
Norel: Huh?
Yesha: What was that scream? And how did Tron get to the bottom of
the tower?

They look over the side and see Tron climbing up the outside of the
tower. Laurallie is standing at the bottom.

Norel: (silently gazes at a Tron-shaped hole in the ground near the
base of the tower)
Nigil: I see a trend here. First I get dropped by that octopus, then
Tron falls out of the tower. Who's next?

Eventually Tron and Laurallie make it up to the top of the tower. The
flasks of oil in Tron's backpack were broken and his lantern is now
two inches high. Otherwise, he is almost unharmed.

Laurallie: He was unconscious when I found him, but I think he would
have recovered naturally, if nothing else happened to him. He wasn't
bleeding. Badly.
Tron: I fell down a chute lined with razor blades and then I was in
midair. I used my tumbling skill to reduce the effective height of
the fall by ten feet, and then the next thing I remember is Laurallie
healing me. It was... wild.

They eat a quick lunch and head back down into the tower.

Tron: If the horse throws you, you gotta get back on.

They find a room containing a really nice tapestry, depicting monsters
doing disturbing things to each other under the benevolent gaze of an
enormous red dragon.

Nigil: Reminds me of the work of Hieronyous Botch, a notorious
artist of Keoland. I think they hung him for blasphemy.
Tron: Art is for wusses.

They decide to leave the tapestry there and collect it on the way
back. At this point there is only one door they have not gone
through.

Tron: Clear! [click] Wow.

The door opens into a vast hall, stretching completely across the
spire. It is lined with alcoves. In each alcove is a sarcophagus,
made of either stone or iron. In the far right corner is a door.

Nigil: We've been leaving these things alone until now, but we have to
go through this room.
Laurallie: I don't know... these things look... threatening.
Norel: Then let's do it! It's about time we got some loot.
Tron: Ok.

They first open the sarcophagus opposite the door. The cover is
carved in the form of a male elf. When they open it up, however, they
find that it is empty, except for a little dust and a scrap of
funerary wrapping.

Norel: I don't think that this guy decayed in here. I think he got up
and walked away.
Nigil: Great.
Tron: Stay frosty, people.

They proceed around the room, opening sarcophagi. The next
sarcophagus, advertised as containing a female elf, does contain a
mummy.

Norel: [whack]
Laurallie: It's not moving, guys.
Norel: Just making sure.
Nigil: It looks kind of rotted. Maybe the mummification failed.

Also in the sarcophagus is a nice scabbard.

Nigil: Hmm, that would just about fit my longsword.

The next sarcophagus, carved as a half-orc, is empty.

Norel: I bet they're all empty, except for the ones where the
mummification failed.
Tron: This cult certainly understands the importance of diversity.

The next sarcophagus, located at the very end of the room, is carved
with the form of a strange humanoid.

Norel: It looks kinda like a dragon. Maybe a human or elf, with
dragon blood?
Tron: Does biology work that way?
Laurallie: Of course it does. Didn't you ever go to school?
Tron: No. Clear!

Nigil opens the sarcophagus and triggers a flame trap. He is
protected by the heavy stone lid, and Norel and Tron dodge, but
Laurallie takes the full effect of the blast.

Laurallie: Dammit Tron, you said it was clear!
Tron: I'll be more careful next time.
Laurallie: Bah. I should just have left you at the bottom of the
tower.

The next sarcophagus is of iron and is carved in the form of a female
humanoid with elven features, small bat wings, and fangs. This one
also is empty.

Norel: Hey, this next one's blank.
Laurallie: Maybe they never finished carving it?
Tron: Or maybe the sarcophagus contained a doppelganger?
Nigil: [heave] Looks like it had something in it. Another failed
mummy. Looks kinda spindly and... weird.

The next sarcophagus (stone, elf female), is empty except for a
valuable sapphire.

Nigil: At least we're getting some goodies.

They next open an (empty) human female and human male sarcophagi. The
next sarcophagus is carved as an elf female. It is iron, and the face
of the carving has been hammered flat.

Nigil: That's weird.
Norel: Maybe she was disgraced after she was dead?
Tron: Hang on, let me... gaaah!

A spectral hand reaches through the sarcophagus and touches the elf,
who feels his energy being drained.

Tron: Look out! Spectres!

Another spectre rises through the floor and touches Norel, draining
his energy. Meanwhile, the sarcophagus at the end of the hall (a
human male) begins to open.

Tron: Time to flee! (tumbles agilely away)
Norel: Take that! (swings his mace of disruption at spectre#2, but
does not dispel it) Dammit!
Mummy: (bursts out of sarcophagus and advances, moving with surprising
grace)
Nigil: Guuhhhh.... scary... ohhhh...
Tron: Is that a wetspot?
Laurallie: Begone! The power of Obad-Hai compels you!
Spectre#1: (ignores her)
Mummy: (ignores her)
Spectre#2: (sinks through floor, temporarily repulsed)
Laurallie: Phooey.

The monsters press their attack. Norel is hit again and drained of
more energy. Meanwhile, the mummy attacks Nigil. At first it wields
a kama, but then it discards it and fights barehanded, raining blows
on the surprised fighter.

Nigil: (Recovering from this momentary fear) I thought [whack] mummies
[dodge] were [thump] supposed to be slow!
Tron: (attacks the mummy ineffectually) I just can't seem to hit it!
Norel: This mace is crap. [swish] It just goes right through the
spectre!
Laurallie: Take this, monster! (blasts the spectre with searing light)
Spectre: (attacks Norel again)
Norel: Dammit! [swish bamf]

The spectre is disintegrated by the power of his mace.

Norel: Huh, I guess it works after all.
Nigil: (Die! [chop] I mean, again! [whack]
Tron: What he said! [swish] Dammit!
Laurallie: Get clear, I'm going to use my egg!

The characters dive for cover as the cleric hurls her explosive egg at
the mummy. The egg hits the monster right in the head and explodes,
spraying it with flaming liquid. The mummy is enraged, but still
fighting. It charges towards Laurallie.

Tron: (blocks it) Take that! [stab hack] Yes! I finally hit something!
Nigil: Your kung-fu is weak! [hack chop]
Norel: For the forest! [whack]
Mummy: (bolts for the door)
Tron: [poke]
Mummy: (falls and crumbles into dust)
Tron: Hoody-hoo!
Laurallie: That other spectre will be back soon.

They wait for the spectre to appear. Suddenly it drifts up through
the floor and grabs Norel.

Norel: (feels drained) Stupid undead! [swish]
Spectre: (disintegrates)
Norel: This mace rocks!

They find that the mummy was wearing a pair of bracers, decorated with
a dragon. In addition its kama looks nice, and they recover two
bottles.

Nigil: What's a kama?
Laurallie: You use it to indicate a pause, but not a full stop... but
then you wouldn't know about that.
Norel: Uhh, it's Kind of like a sickle.
Nigil: Oh.

They continue searching the room, although both Norel and Tron are
feeling weakened by the spectres' touch, and Nigil has been diseased
by the mummy. In the remaining sarcophagi (a gnome, another
half-dragon, another elf, and a dwarf) they find a valuable bracelet.
Tron also finds two secret doors which lead to small compartments
containing treasure. In one they find a chest full of gold and silver
coins and a wand, and in the other a necklace holding a single black
pearl.

Norel: Bet Danic would like that wand.
Tron: Let's break it. [snicker]

At this point they decide to return to the top of the tower and have
Laurallie cure the effects of fighting the undead. As they are going
up the stairs, they notice a symbol, like a leafless tree, has been
faintly scratched into the floor at the bottom of the stairs.

Tron: I don't remember seeing that before.

They continue up to the top. At this point a problem emerges. The
Restoration spell requires a quantity of powdered diamond. Although
they had some of this, they are now running low. They grind up some
of the treasure diamonds to get enough to cure Tron and Norel, and
leave three doses in reserve. Laurallie also cures Nigil of the
mummy's diseased touch. They spend the night uneventfully on the top
of the tower.

Yesha: Haven't you guys found that crown thing yet?
Nigil: We're working on it!

In the morning they descend into the tower again. This time they
decide to deface the symbol. Norel smashes it with his mace, and Tron
urinates on it. They continue on to the door leading from the
sarcophagus room. This opens into a hall.

Tron: (carefully checks for traps) All clear. (moves down the hall)
Whaaa!

A pit trap gapes beneath the elf's feet, and he barely avoids falling
in.

Tron: That was too close.

They corridor has three doors in it. Using his rangerly skills, Norel
can tell that most of the traffic has gone through one door, while the
other two are little used. One door has a big inscription over it.

Laurallie: Ahem. It says: "Oggunon Sathaar is interred here, only
fools pass this threshold."
Norel: Who's Oggunon Sathaar?
Nigil: Let's go ask Yesha.

They trudge back up to the top of the spire. As they climb the
stairs, Tron feels an ominous sensation... as if they are being
watched.

Tron: Eh, it's nothing.

They ask Yesha about the inscription.

Yesha: Oggunon Sathaar was an ancient leader of the cult.
Tron: Somehow I don't feel my usual enthusiasm for graverobbing.
Nigil: We're here to get the crown, not kill everything. Let's check
out the door with all the footprints leading into it.

They go back down the stairs. Just as they are leaving the stairs...

Vampire Spawn #1: (materializes in front of Tron and attacks)
Vampire Spawn #2: (materializes in front of Norel and attacks)
Wight: (backstabs Nigil)
Tron: Ouch! (dodges forwards and turns to face his opponent) Take
that! [stab]
Norel: Come back for more, eh? [whack] What's wrong with this mace?
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Wight: (acts quickly and backstabs Nigil again, draining much of
his energy and severely wounding him)
Nigil: [shing] All right, now it's my turn! [swish] Dammit!
Laurallie: The power of Obad-Hai compels you!
Vampire Spawn #1: (disintegrates)
Norel: That's more like it! (bashes Vampire Spawn #2, which also
disintegrates)
Nigil: I'll handle this one! [swish] What's wrong with me today?
Norel: You need one of these maces. [whack]
Wight: (disintegrates)
Norel: Yes! Who da man?

They examine the items the undead left behind.

Laurallie: If this was an ordinary wight, Obad-Hai would have
destroyed it. I think that this monster was some sort of powerful
undead assassin.
Tron: Left a nice suit of leather armor. Dibs!
Norel: Go ahead, it won't fit me.

They decide that since Nigil has been energy drained, they will leave
off exploring for today.

Norel: Really, what we should do is go back to the dwarf realms, get
these magic items identified, get some extra equipment and supplies,
and come back.
Nigil: I'm worried if we do that they'll move the crown.
Tron: I think it'll be ok. If they haven't moved the crown by now,
they're not going to. Their overconfidence is their weakness.

Laurallie casts Restoration on Nigil, and they descend the tower and
head back to the dwarf realms. By nightfall they reach the entrance
to the dwarf caves, and they spend most of the next day travelling
through the outer marches of the dwarf tunnels. When they reach
civilization, they immediately go on a shopping spree.

Nigil: I want 12 doses of powdered diamond, 300 shillings worth of
powdered silver, 4 blankets...

They pay for most of the stuff by bartering valuables, rather than
with cash.

Laurallie: See, the dwarf economy is suffering from a kind of
"deflation". They have lots of gems and coin, but not much to buy
with it.
Tron: Zzzzz... huh? What?

To nobody's surprise, Yesha decides to stay with the dwarves.

Yesha: Thank you for rescuing me. If you have anything else that
needs to be translated, please bring it back. I'm especially interested
in books or scrolls...

They find a wizard and get him to identify the magic items they found.
Tron gets a suit of enchanted leather armor and a pair of bracers of
defense. Norel gets a ring of protection and a ring that increases
his skill at swimming.

Norel: Sigh.

Nigil gets a ring of protection and a ring that enables the wearer to
walk on water.

Nigil: Not like I can swim with my armor anyway.

There are also some miscellaneous potions. Finally, they also have
Lauurallie ask her god for divine advice.

Laurallie: Oh great Obad-Hai, one who knows all, will we able to
find the crown for which we seek at Nightfang spire.
Obad-Hai (speaking through her mouth): Obscured the crown is,
but search you must, for weakness his it be.
Tron: *cough*yoda*cough*. Sorry, something stuck in my throat.

After a couple days of
shopping they set out for Nightfang Spire, much more heavily loaded
this time.

Tron: See, I figured out that I didn't need to carry all of my
equipment all the time, I could leave some at a base camp.
Nigil: I think it's a traumatic reaction to that underground
experience.
Norel: I don't want to think about that.

TO BE CONTINUED...