‘Scuse me. I suppose I should have emphasized the whistling sound the axe made as it carved up the poor zombie’s kidneys a little more. And you know what? I forgot to account for the magic whetstone, too. That zombie is still real freakin’ dead.
“He’s probably still pining for the fjords.”
I foresee a bright future ahead of me manufacturing strong glue and invisible ink at knock-down prices.
Marco Valente: 21
Giacomo: 19
Taye: 18
Solsken: 14
Second Zombie (Guarding Mage): 14
Aji: 13
Third Zombie (Guarding Mage): 12
Zachary: 11
Fourth Zombie (Attacking Doge): 10
Harald: 9
Joseph: 8
Doge Valente: 2
Valente turns to attack the last zombie flanking his father, whips his sword around, and scores deeply into the zombie’s armor. He doesn’t deal any damage. Likewise, both of Giacomo’s daggers dig into the zombie but don’t seem to slow it in any way.
Whoops. Didn’t mean to submit. Rest of battle coming shortly.
Marco Valente: 21
Giacomo: 19
Taye: 18
Solsken: 14
Second Zombie (Guarding Mage): 14
Aji: 13
Third Zombie (Guarding Mage): 12
Zachary: 11
Fourth Zombie (Attacking Doge): 10
Harald: 9
Joseph: 8
Doge Valente: 2
Taye, jaw set in anger after his failure to injure the robed intruder, gestures at the zombie surrounded by Giacomo and Marco Valente, and twin jets of power flicker out from his fingers. Nasty burns appear on the zombie’s skin, but it doesn’t fall.
Solsken’s wolf finally shimmers into existence, and both Solsken and the wolf move to intercept the zombies by the window. Solsken strikes from the left, the wolf from the right, and both sets of weapons are blunted by the armor of the zombie. Tough dice rolls, folks. That zombie retaliates by smashing at the wolf, and a cruel blow on the shoulders staggers the animal.
Aji squares off with the zombie, and trades blows with it without effect. Neither takes any damage.
Zachary bellows with rage and claws at the zombie alongside Solsken. His bite misses, but both claws strike home and dig deep.
The zombie surrounded by Marco and Giacomo claws at Marco, who bats the withered arms aside with disdain.
Harald screams his rage and swings his axe at the nearest zombie. It’s not a particularly effective strike, but with his supernatural strength behind it, it more than does the job. Second Zombie down… Splattered with congealed blood, Harald claws at the other nearby zombie, making a clean connection with his left hand and spinning the zombie right around.
Joseph, deprived of his whip, draws his longsword and drives a long, straight, textbook-perfect thrust at the zombie’s chest. The distraction provided by Giacomo and Marco gives Joseph the opening he needs, and Joseph’s blade digs deep into an opening in the armor.
The Doge crawls backward, away from the fight. His wounded leg leaves a trail of blood.
Marco cuts at the groin of the wounded zombie (a move Joseph suspects that he didn’t learn in any classical school of fencing) and downs it for good. Like the others, colored sparks spill from its eyes, nose, and mouth as it lies inert on the floor. Fourth Zombie.
Giacomo turns and drives his daggers deep into the zombie that Harald has just spun around the room. He finishes it cleanly. Third Zombie
Zachary sprints over to the Doge and pulls a flask from his pockets. The Doge flinches away from Zachary’s twisted face, but Marco calms his father and the Doge drinks the healing potion. Valente’s leg visibly knits together, and the Doge breathes easier as he crawls up against a wall, leaning on it heavily.
The bodies of the zombies begin to melt, spreading across the floor and disappearing as they become too thin.
Solsken’s falcon flits back and forth against a window about fifty yards away, along the Doge’s palace.
His formidable intellect clouded somewhat by the transformation, Zachary!Hyde still has wit enough to growl “Sparks? Dissolving bodies? [Captain Obvious]Those were no ordinary zombies[/CO]”
I’m still fighting one zombie, yes?
No, that’s all five. Sorry if the description was unclear.
Feh. I demolish the nearest piece of cabinetry in frustration before ending my rage.
wheeze wheeze pant These warriors… I’m starting to think… there might have been something wrong with them. Moved odd. Died odd too. Does anybody know pant what the blazes is going on here ?
All right, somebody needs to look at the old one’s wounds. Looks like he got stuck good. Oh, and I think I got burned or something. May the gods… I mean God, take care of us !
I will first [COLOR=Blue]channel positive energy twice to heal everybody’s little cuts and scrapes, then if anyone’s going for a Heal check on the Doge to stabilize him or diagnose, I’ll try and help with my MIGHTY +1. Should have put a point there, don’t understand why I didn’t.
Else I’m just going to do what victorious soldiers have done since time immemorial : check the dead for coin, jewellery and right-sized boots.[/COLOR]
turning to Aji Oh, and um… look, brother, during the fight I might have called you… I might have said… Some words might have been uttered that um… Excitement of the fight, didn’t mean anything by it, I say let bygones be bygones, agreed ?
“Blazes is right,” says Joseph as he recovers and recoils his whip. “We don’t have much time before we’ll have to defenestrate ourselves from the palazzo. But first, let’s see what we can see.”
He kneels by one of the zombies to examine it.
I figure I’ve got some knowledge checks coming here. In order of importance, in case the fire reaches us first or we otherwise need to move quickly, I’d like to know the following:
What is the nature of the zombies?
What is the nature of the orange bird?
Who was that masked man!?
What was his relative power level?
These are probably mostly arcana checks, but since I can use all knowledge skills I’ll let you pick whatever the most important one would be.
I’m going to search the room to see if I can find any clues, hidden passages, magical symbols, or anything else unusual. If I see any small valuable trinkets I can discreetly pocket, I will do so.
“We need information on the mage. We may have made an enemy today. Such power should not be underestimated. My pardon while I retrieve my crossbow.”
Taye steps out of the room, looking over his shoulder to make sure he isn’t observed, he vomits into a handy vase. And picks up his crossbow.
I look out the window and note what my bird is doing.
“Gentlemen, I believe I know where that mage flew off to…”
Can I send my wolf, before he is recalled, down to guard the entrance to that building where my bird is?
It is the same building that you’re already in, about fifty yards away, on the third floor.
You do ?! Well then, no time to waste, let’s go, lead the way ! No telling what foul witcheries this felon is brewing while we sit around this decrepit elf. He’s FINE. Look at 'im. Doctored good, he’ll probably see the next sunrise. Probably. Now, come on everyone, before the sharp dresser gives us the slip again ! I don’t like making enemies that stay alive past that point.
“hurrr”
OK-I then send my wolf ahead to scout. My bird will continue to do casual circuits of the building.
I also want to do an ID check on the type of bird he changed into (be it mythological or "natural).