D&D: The City of Shaldra~Zin

[Grimsvald]

The next 4 hours of travel go rather smoothly. At one point a man with a crossbow jumped out from behind some mile marker stones, but as soon as he saw the party up close he slowly slinked back into his hidding place and vanished. It seems he had some sort of tunneling system behind the stones.


A city that grew larger on the horizon is finally upon them. The city of Bexely. It looks very similar to Shaldra~Zin on the day they had arrived. Clean streets and kind faced people. The large temple of Pelor sits on top of a hill to the north. It over looks the city like a king's castle and acts much like one.


This city is much more prosperous than Shaldra~Zin. No shack like homes or poverty striken towns folk. Buildings are well made and polished stone decorated with statues and murals. The streets are full of wealthy people and high quality shops.


Armani stopped before the gates took notice of them and moved Grut off the road. "Stay Grut. Make your wagon. I'll bring you back a gift." The ogre nodded and pulled a bag off its back. He pours the content around him on the ground, broken wagon bits and burned tree branches. The bag then turned into a tattered tarp that he threw over himself. Hidding under the tarp Grut then layed his tree club over himself completing the look. A perfect disguise of a covered wagon crushed by a fallen tree.


The rest of the Empty Tankards put on large fake mustaches and plain black cloaks. Its an obvious disguise that is almost rediculous enough to make the messenger laugh. "Be careful boys we may be wanted men here..." Armani warned the twins as they entered the city.

 

[Yesman]

Jaks withheld his own laughter as he followed the messenger into the city.


"So we're here to raise funds for Shaldra-Zin, correct? What do we do first?"

 

[Grimsvald]

The messenger looked down at Jaks, "we go to the regional religious summit as discussed at the Dizzy Dwarves Tavern in Shaldra-Zin...have you forgotten already?" His voice was high, questioning and rather annoying.


Just then there was a small explosion in the street 40 feet in front of the cart horses. The people in the streets were silenced. Then an older mans voice called out over the shocked people, "Come hither now people of Bexely and beyond. To wittness the great power of Tempus channeled through me, Reinard Holloway!" A crowd began to gather and enjoy the display.


Three younger paladins would place objects on a stone pillar and Reinard would blow them up with divine magic. Each time the crowd would cheer, sometimes splashed with bits of fruit or dodging bits of wood. The road became too cluttered to pull the cart through.


"Well this is the only way through to the temple so I guess we are stuck for a while....Move you wittless cows!" The messenger burst in frustration then gave up and fell back in his seat. "I just...want to lay down and enjoy some wine. Is that so bad?"


Armani got an odd look on his face, "oh! Well we have lead you into town. We will be at the markets getting more food. Meet you tomorrow morning by the gates. Tata!" He quickly began to fade into the crowd going in the opposite direction of Reinard. Soon after his hands peeked out of the crowd and snagged the twins by the collars taking them away.

 

[Redsirrah]

Jameak frowned. "I don't what to think about what those three are doing." Jameak turned to the messenger. "We can walk the rest of the way to the temple. You go enjoy a glass of wine." Jameak began to move through the crowd of people, trying not to be rude.

 

[Grimsvald]

As Jemaek moves he sences something otherworldly in the crowd. Then his hand grazes across a person with cold rubbery flesh. The stink of death hits his nose with potency. This is a well studied and familiar experience. This was the undead..

 

[Yesman]

Jaks followed Jameak into the crowd. While the cleric's main objective was to reach the temple, Jaks was more interested in the street performance. As he made his way to the front of the crowd, he decided to stretch his fingers and attempted to pickpocket several of the people he brushed passed.

 

[Redsirrah]

Jameak whipped around and sharply scanned the crowd to locate the source of the undead and figure out how they had blended into the crowd.


[dice]20455[/dice]

 

[Grimsvald]

Jameak spots 6 people peppered into the crowd wearing the same black robes. It is hard to keep track of them because so many clerics of Pelor wear a similar garb for formal situations. The biggest difference is that these people do not have the golden crest of Pelor and their robes are hooded.


The nearest one is onto 15 feet away, but the difficult terrain of a crowded street makes that feel like 30 feet. The stink of death hangs in the air like a thick fog. It is surprising that more holymen havent taken note of it.


As Jameak ponders this his keen mind finds reason. Maybe these creatures are, yet again, more than just undead.

 

[Yesman]

Jaks, still oblivious to the undead, discreetly draws his knife to cut free some coin purses.


[dice]20474[/dice]

 

[Grimsvald]

Jaks makes an attempt to cut away the coin purse of a fat noble, but is unsuccesful. The high quality cord belt mind as well be steel against the rogue's dulling knife and the noble's fat hands over the knot. Jaks moves on to the next rich looking person in the crowd. The woman claps with her hands up high making it easy to slip her money away.


Jaks counts 5 gold from the snatch purse. The timing of the demonstration allows Jaks to attempt one more. Beside this girl is her father. It is clear that he pays for everything his little girl wants and thats why she carries so little coin. His robes, belt, rings all show that he is a very wealthy noble.

 

[Yesman]

Jaks eyed the girl's father before turning his knife to the man's purse.


[dice]20478[/dice]

 

[Grimsvald]

This cord is as difficult as the last noble. Suddenly Jaks is lifted off his feet by his throat. The man is staring him right in the eyes. "You damned little theif!" He curses and starts to pull a knife from the other side of his belt. The daughter stepped forward, "And that's my coin purse daddy!" She whines.


Just before the noble runs his knife into Jaks there is a shriek in the crowd and people begin running. Through the chaos Jaks and Jameak would see Kelter standing behind one of the cloaked undead. The paladin's great sword is thrust up and out of the front of his enemy. "The damned walk among us! Flee so that your lives are not taking in collateral damage!"


The noble drops Jaks and runs, but just as the hand slips from his neck he manages to pull a golden ring off its greasey fingers. It is a thick golden ring with a round undented crest. Jaks can tell by the residue that this ring doubles as an official seal. Its use may be worth more than its price.

 

[Yesman]

Jaks slipped his loot into his own purse as he silently thanked whatever deity of chaos was causing the commotion. Kelter had run somebody through with his sword though who it was and why escaped the rouge for now. Either way, Kelter was not one to just randomly kill a bystander so Jaks drew his rapier and rushed to his friend's side, taking notice that several cloaked figure remained still in the chaotic crowd.

 

[Redsirrah]

Jameak stood there, shocked. On one hand, his idiot thief had tried more crap again. This time Jameak would have to beat some sense into him.


However, there was a slightly more pressing issue. The fact that 7 undead in robes were among the crowd of people disturbed him, and he knew things could get ugly very quickly. He fumbled for the right pendant around his neck and snapped off a small silver symbol in the shape of a club. He raised this symbol to the people around him and said "Evil creatures, fall before the light of justice. Cease this action at once!" He directed that last phrase at more than just the undead.


[dice]20509[/dice]

 

[Grimsvald]

The creature before Jameak peels back its black hood to reveal a beautiful female face. Her body is dead, but the flesh isn't yet rotting. Her make up has been done with a practiced hand. Jameak can feel the same aura in her that he had senced in the living armor. He sees it in her eyes. They are not evil as much as they are misguided and desperate.


Her mouth is descreatly sown shut so she says nothing, but she nods. Her and 2 others lower their heads and begin to walk down the road towards the same building.


A 4th begins to walk with them, but shakes free of the cleric's influence. Anger and sadness flush back into its heart. It charges towards Jameak and throws a wide punch. Tender fleshed knucks crunch against his arm. Even though it only managed to leave Jameak with a blood splatter mark on his armor, the man took a fighting stance.


The creature with Kelter's sword in it pull free. No blood leaked from its wound. It seemed to be drained of any blood. With a creepy contortion this enemy turns around a punches Kelter in the face (2 dmg) The dazed paladin ineffectivly retaliated with a seing of his sword. The undead stepped back to evade.


The only other enemy on the battle field sluggishly lumbers along towards Jaks. It is easy to see this one coming but many citizens are still fleeing the area and there are no clear shots.

 

[Yesman]

Jaks didn't want to waste an arrow shooting civilians and so, opted to ignore the undead shambling towards him. Instead, he rushes to the dazed Kelter. Circling around and drawing his rapier, Jaks thrusts his weapon into the back of the monster attacking the paladin.


(Since this zombie is already focused on Kelter, do I get Sneak Attack? )


[dice]20526[/dice]


[dice]20527[/dice]

 

[Redsirrah]

Jameak drew his mace and swung at the creature. "I'm sorry. If there was any other way, I would take it."


Hit


[dice]20539[/dice]


Damage: Probably none but [dice]20540[/dice]

 

[Grimsvald]

Jaks' rapier lands where the skull meets the neck. Its steel tip pushes between spinal columns and exits the creature from its left eye. It went slack and its weight pulled it off the weapon to slump on the floor between him and Kelter.


Jameak's attack well less affective. The cleric's weapon nearly slipped out of his hand. In order to keep his weapon he sacrificed accuracy. The result was a clumsy looking attack over the enemies head. The creature pushed Jameak back with his shoulder then swung with a wild right hook. Again its meaty knuckles tore on the front of Jameak's armor but did no damage.


Kelter nodded to Jaks, "Thank you young man." Then he charged off towards the shambling one Jaks chose to ignore. It was still rather far away.


The 3 undead turned by Jameak continued to walk towards the same building together.

 

[Yesman]

Jaks was quite surprised that the zombie had gone down so easily. Then again, it did get impaled by Kelter's sword. Shrugging he turned around just in time to witness another zombie throwing a fist at Jameak. The rogue pulled out his bow and notched an arrow. There were still some panicked civilians around but YOLO, right? Drawing the arrow, Jaks called out an apology in advance and shot at his targeted zombie.


[dice]20652[/dice]


[dice]20653[/dice]


[dice]20654[/dice]

 

[Grimsvald]

Jaks arrow shoots through the back of the undead's neck, just to the left of the spine. The metal arrow head rips through the creatures right cheek. Also cutting through some thick stitches. The creature cries out and the stitches that keep its mouth closed unthread.


It falls forward wrapping its arms around Jameak and barring all its weight on his shoulders. It is about 210lb in all. With the thread pulled away yellow teeth are revealed. These teeth attempt to rip Jameak's throat out. He feels their slimmy surface skim across his flesh, but just as they seem to find purchase, they stop. He can hear the cracking of wood as the teeth bite down on an arrow shaft protruding from its right cheek.


The undead slides down the front of Jameak and sits on its knees. It looks up at Jameak and attempts to saw something. Its voice is drowned out by a loud humping sound over the cleric's head.


Suddenly the creature is decapitated by a massive sword of light. A flashy execution of paladin's smite. By the time Kelter reached the final undead it was killed by the same smite attack. Kelter looked to the paladin that had been on stage. The man's power made Kelter ill at ease. He nodded in thanks regardless.


The crowed of people had almost entirely disappeared. The 3 undead that had left the battle now pile into a building down the block. They don't look like they are breaking in. Infact someone walks outside and hurriedly ushers then inside. Then he closes the door behind them and shuts their blinds.

 

[Yesman]

"This way, Kelter!" Jaks called as he rushed after the 3 undeads. Reaching the shut door of the building, he pulled out his rapier and politely knocked on the door before trying to open it. If nobody answered and the door was locked, he'd have to consider breaking in.

 

[Grimsvald]

Kelter thanked the paladins of Tempus for their help then checked on Jameak. "Are you alright friend?" As he talked to the cleric he kept his eyes on Jaks.


When Jaks knocks he realises that this wooden looking door is actually iron. He hears his knock echo back off the warm metal. There was a pause. Just as his patients wore thin there was a reply. "No one is in right now, please come back tomorrow. Thank you!"

 

[Yesman]

"Well," started Jaks. "'No one', please open this door. I know some undead managed to shamble into this building and I don't feel like waiting for them to shamble back out."


He looked back over to the rest of his group and waved them over to him. Turning back to the door, he tried a bluff.


"My cleric friend managed to cast a spell on the undead, that's why they came this way. He also managed to throw on a tracking spell." After several seconds of silence. "I, myself, managed to attach an explosive to one of them."

 

[Grimsvald]

The voice replied, "Undead? Don't be rediculous. I don' know what you're talking about. You're not funny saying that around here..." It is at this point Jaks may notice details on the iron door. Coffins of different sizes and wood types in the shops front window. Even a sign that reads Mortician.


They don't seem to believe Jaks and they dont seem like they will let him in.

 

[Redsirrah]

"Actually, sir, we have a very angry paladin who likes to slice anything that gets in his way, and he's bound and determined to kick down this door. Now if you are being threatened or coerced in any way, our paladin will take extra care to not slice you, and we can save you from this menace."


[dice]20851[/dice]