Same Sparkling Slime
After being briefed on the little information known about the creatures that have been spotted here and there, you're given some suggestions to look around the market district, particularly where there are entries into the sewers. So now you're in the market district looking for suspicious creatures.
Faranth walks along with her companion, the young bull elephant she calls MalGein. She wonders as she makes her way through the market how many will consider her companion a 'suspicious creature' She wrinkles her brow and starts looking around for a sewer grate or entrance.
Aithil floats along as she lets out a little hum of a tune. She's back into looking at her book, mostly relying on the others around her to spot things (mostly). She runs a finger clad in a rock-looking gauntlet along the page, the pointed finger skimming along without really touching the paper. "Oh that's just preposterous. Really? Now the idea that a bloodrager is the same as a cleric?"
This isn't too difficult for Virgil, considering that's part of his patrol route anyway. He'll be checking the usual spots, dark corners, that sort of thing, particularly if they're near sewer grates. He's not completely sure what he's looking for, but he assumes it's something slimy. Which could be a tall order, because how can one be sure it's not just something slimy and not the kind of slimy he's looking for?
Morgan follows with the rest but she does pet the Elephant if allowed, but the petting is more patting the thick skin thing. "I would like to get this done soon, its bards night at the tavern." She looks at Aithil and says "Put that book away."
GAME: Faranth rolls perception: (16)+8: 24 GAME: Morgan rolls perception: (11)+9: 20 GAME: Aithil rolls perception: (15)+7: 22 GAME: Virgil rolls perception: (19)+2: 21
Off to the side of the alleyway that you are walking down you notice something low to the ground slithering around a corner. You notice it because it is sparkling. It is about the size of a dog. It pauses and wiggles back around the corner. Wobbles. Then comes back around the corner. It looks remarkably like a lump of jello, and it wiggles slowly toward you. Specifically it seems to be ambling toward Aithil.
Morgan looks at the slime "Crap it’s another magic eating Slime." she seems put off about it "we best kill it."
GAME: Aithil casts Light. Caster Level: 3 DC: 13
Aithil tilts her head to the side, and then leans over and tries to paint the back of Morgans shirt with a light spell. Well... either that or she's gonna end up painting the wall. One or the other! She can't help it, she's just a bit mischievous.
Virgil pauses as he sees movement. And then he frowns, partly in disgust, as he notices what it is. Morgan's words don't help that frown. But he does ask, since at least one person here seems to know what it is, "How do we kill it?" That's really all he's concerned about, is what he can do to help it be no longer in the land of the living. Or, well... inasmuch as a slime can be considered 'alive' in the first place.
GAME: Morgan rolls reflex: (7)+4: 11
In the hustle and bustle of the market, it's hard for an elephant who's being pushed one way and then another to tell the difference between one touch and another. MalGein doesn't respond to being pet on the side by Morgan. However Faranth does indeed spot the wiggling sparkling slime as it jiggles closer to the group. She is about to say something when Virgil speaks up, and instead of talking herself, nods in agreement and points to Virgil while looking at Morgan.
Meanwhile the creature is wiggling more enthusiastically - if no faster, but this time toward Morgan and specifically the wall that ends up being painted with magic. It spreads itself over the wall, and seems to have no problem sticking to the surface rather than the ground as it heads closer to its intended target.
GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (13)+4: 17 GAME: Morgan casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 5 DC: 18 GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (15)+4: 19 GAME: Morgan rolls 4d6: (10): 10 GAME: Morgan rolls 4d6: (15): 15
Morgan shows she has a great dislike as she says a arcane set of words as she sends two red streaks hitting the blob and says as it gets bigger "Ok it has evolved.... fuck."
GAME: Aithil casts Dancing Lights. Caster Level: 3 DC: 13
Aithil frowns and gives a tilt of her head - well - after giving Morgan a quick grin. "I didn't ask for that, or else I would've." She closes her book though and moves her other hand with a few words in the Sil language. Light burst from her fingertips and begin to hover over the slime just outside what she believes its reach to be.
The slime reaches out and touches the wall where it's been made to glow. Immediately the light begins to fade and the slime gets slightly bigger. Not as much bigger as when it had been blasted, but notably larger. Then with one slow tendril it reaches up toward the lights which are dancing just outside its reach.
Morgan sigh "Well magicing them is out." she moves 40 feet back as she readies her staff.
GAME: Virgil rolls weapon1: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)
Well, if it's 'magic-eating', Virgil doesn't have any of that for it to chew on. Maybe it'd like the taste of a sword? Actually Virgil's rather hoping it doesn't. But he is rather the bruiser type, so 'sword the thing until it stops being a threat' is a totally viable strategy. Well, the thing manages to dodge before he can hit it, so his sword clangs off of the wall without hitting the thing.
GAME: Faranth rolls weapon4: (7)+2: 9 GAME: Faranth rolls 1d20+4: (12)+4: 16 GAME: Faranth rolls 1d8+2: (7)+2: 9 GAME: Faranth rolls 1d6+1: (3)+1: 4
Faranth takes a half step back while pulling one of her spears out, she hurls it at where the thing is climbing the wall. "So if you've fought these things before, how do they die?" The spear pierces the slime and sticks into the wall behind. Seeing that Faranth is attacking the strange jello, MalGein takes the initiative to attack himself, earning himself a burning sensation in his tusk for his trouble. He lets out a trumpet to let everyone within several earshots know that he's in pain.
Climbing the wall the slime manages to reach the dancing lights and seems to grab them with one of its tendrils. It's very far up the wall now, easily ten feet, and where it has touched the wall there is a discoloration and pitting to the stone. The dancing lights vanish and the slime gets again - a little bit bigger. Now it is now easily the size of a large dog.
GAME: Morgan casts Bull's Strength. Caster Level: 5 DC: 18
Morgan moves a few feet forward and says "This should help you." then she says a few words that makes him look stronger.
GAME: Virgil rolls weapon1+2: (5)+5+2: 12
Virgil backs up, back towards the others, when the elephant starts wedging itself into the alley. Yeah, he doesn't want to be too close while a large animal is tusking something. Morgan's speaking up then, and... well, yeah, Virgil does feel stronger. He quickly looks to Morgan with a nod of thanks. So, now that he's feeling stronger, and with limited options open to him -- and having seen the damage done to the poor elephant, Virgil is not keen on getting his hands anywhere near that slime -- he takes a swing with his sword at the slime. This time he hits. Though the sword probably isn't going to survive the encounter, better the sword than his hands, right?
The blade cleaves the slime in two, dividing it momentarily in half before it's body seems to loose cohesion. The thing wobbles and turns into a black water-like substance that drips down the wall. The half-burned spear drops to the ground with a wooden clatter.
Faranth steps forward and retrieves her spear, looking at it a bit sadly. She pushes MalGein gently out of the alleyway, chanting a song to the ancestors as she does so. The burns on MalGein seem to heal over.
GAME: Faranth casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14 GAME: Faranth rolls 1d8+2: (4)+2: 6
Morgan hmms "it seems to even change even more." she starts to go and start magic science nerd speak forgetting other people are around her.
Virgil looks around at the group, noting the healing from Faranth. "Is everyone all right?" He does feel the need to ask, even if it didn't look like anyone actually got hurt.
Faranth nods, to her Elephant, and turns taking stock of everyone else. She looks at everyone then at her spear, she again chants to her ancestors and the spear appears to repair itself.
GAME: Virgil rolls perception: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Faranth casts Mending. Caster Level: 2 DC: 13 GAME: Morgan rolls perception: (13)+9: 22 GAME: Faranth rolls perception: (4)+8: 12
Morgan waves to her party "I think I know where it came from." she shows a broken sword and a sewer gate "And I am sorry Faranth your impressive friend can not follow."
Aithil apparently was distracted by something, who knows why. Either way, she turns back to the party and then looks toward the sewer grate. She crinkles her nose disdainfully, "Ohhh no. Down in the sewers? Really? Ew."
Virgil had perhaps been more concerned about the state of his sword than in looking for other traces of slimes. Hoever, when Morgan points to the sewers, Virgil makes a face. "Eugh," he intones. "Well, I suppose there's nothing for it..."
Morgan looks towards Aithil "Oh come on this was our first date."
"Before we go down. Do you need that sword fixed?" Faranth is looking at Virgil, but she glances at the wall, and I'm going to see if I can do anything about that also."
GAME: Faranth casts Mending. Caster Level: 2 DC: 13
There's more crinkling of Aithil's nose, she is not too keen on this idea even if it was one of the first places she ran into Morgan.
GAME: Faranth casts Mending. Caster Level: 2 DC: 13
As Fernanth casts her spell on the wall, the liquid there bubbles in reaction to it, forming tiny little wiggly forms that reach out toward her with tiny little tendrils.
Morgan looks to the tenderals and says "I so wish I had dispell magic now."
Virgil turns the sword so that its flat is towards Faranth. "That might not be a bad idea, if you can," he notes. "I saw what happened to your friend. I shudder to think what that slime might do to common metal." As the sword is repaired, he nods. "Thank you." Noting the tendrils on the wall, though, he frowns. "Disgusting." Morgan's suggestion gets a question, "What if it tried to eat that too?" He's not a mage, he doesn't know how this works.
Morgan nods "Thats why I don’t picked it up in my empty glass jars." said as she has a empty glass jar in her hand.
Aithil looks to the little tendrils and gives a frown as she gives another look to Morgan. "Are you sure the glass will be safe even? What exactly doesn't it eat anyway?"
Morgan collects some of the stuff carefully and puts the glass after stoping it she sets it off the side in the ally to come back later.
With the little bits of reaching ooze trapped in a little jar you head down into the sewers to find out where the one you killed came from. The sewers are empty and disgusting exactly as expected. However the trail that the creature left behind is clear. Pitted stone leads you further and further into the system until at last you see someone else down here with you! A gaunt man standing in the middle of the path. He's difficult to make out, but he's wandering away from you and deeper into the sewer system.
GAME: Morgan rolls knowledge/local: (15)+10: 25 GAME: Virgil rolls knowledge/local: (19)+4: 23
Morgan cover her face with a scarf as it helps a little with the smell. She spots the man as she realises where they might be "Crap 5 gold that guy there is a zombie."
"I hope not," Vergil replies, keeping his voice down. Looking to the group at large, "Should we follow?" He's not going to be very stealthy, so if that's the plan he'll need to stay well back to avoid giving their position away.
Faranth feels a bit out of sorts with MalGein staying up in the market above. She's hoping he doesn't decide to go destroy things... or get hungry, that would be even worse. She stays quiet, following along with the people who know more about this sort of environment than she does, even more sure than ever that cities are a blight on the world now that she's standing in their refuse.
Morgan nods towards to Virgil and says "But since we are under the cemetery it raises the chance." but the odd mage adds "but we should follow it even more so if its a slime zombie."
So you follow the man, watching him as he travels deeper into the sewer system. Several grates are set up to stop anything untoward from breaking through certain sections of the city, but the ones you pass are all melted down and the man passes easily past them. You notice as you travel, that the path now is completely straight, until the man collides with a wall. Suddenly there is a resounding explosion as his body collides with this wall. The shockwaves of which reach you, but don't cause you any harm at the distance from him you've been traveling. Behind you, you hear the sound of a footstep…
GAME: Virgil rolls perception: (10)+2: 12 GAME: Morgan rolls perception: (15)+9: 24 GAME: Faranth rolls perception: (8)+8: 16 GAME: Aithil rolls perception: (20)+7: 27
Behind you is not one, not two, but three raggedly-clad individuals. They are still some sixty feet or so away, but all of them are shambling dead-eyed toward you. They are also all bearing a strange blue glow in the center of their chests.
Morgan looks towards the men blocking the exit "Well we can attack them or take a obvious trapped path to our left and right."
"...Well shite," Virgil grumbles, as the path ends up blocked. "I'm going to make a wild guess and say this lot aren't exactly friendly." He isn't attacking YET, but he's got his recently repaired sword at the ready.
Aithil hovers a bit closer to the back and looks at the ragged individuals. She chews a bit on her lip, considering, and then gives a little noncommittal sound in response to it all. "I dunno, it all seems about the same. I mean, we're down here to figure out what's going on, right? Maybe we'll luck out and they won't actually attack us. Not to mention, erm, they seem to explode when they're touched maybe?"
Faranth tries to slip quietly into one of the side tunnels, figuring she can throw a spear as easily from there as she can from right in front of the creatures should the group decide to fight.
Unsurprisingly, as you discuss the choice between exiting and staying to fight, the individuals shuffle closer. Now they're only thirty feet away. Now that they're closer you can see that they are wearing as much dirt as clothing. Also that the glow in the center of their chests is making their ribcage throw an odd shadow. The light is coming from /inside/ their bodies.
Morgan says "lets test what that glow is and attack them."
GAME: Virgil rolls weapon1: (5)+5: 10
Virgil seems to agree with Morgan, and as the shambling figures get closer, he strikes out with his sword at the nearest one to him. He misses, but with any luck it'll get the shambling horrors to back up.
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+4: (19)+4: 23 GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+4: (6)+4: 10 GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+4: (3)+4: 7 GAME: Razen rolls 1d6+4: (4)+4: 8
Though the zombies did not seem threatening before, either due to the attack, or because their path is blocked the zombies all reach out and attack Virgil. For the most part their attacks are ineffective and lumbering, but one of them manages to bash him up alongside his head.
GAME: Aithil casts Protection From Evil. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14 GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL)
Aithil looks about and gives a look toward Morgan, "Well... yeah." She takes a deep breath, and instantly regrets it as she starts casting her spell with a wave of her hand and a wheezing of words. It finishes with a point at Virgil, protecting him from all things evil - hopefully anyway.
Morgan wonders if these zombies are like the slime as she sends a cold but thin ray at the zombie that is not in front of Val but misses "Damn I need to practice my aim.”
GAME: Faranth rolls weapon4: (14)+2: 16 GAME: Faranth rolls 1d6+1: (4)+1: 5
Faranth shakes her head and was hoping that everyone would let these new zombies pass them by, instead they seem intent on attacking. Holding her breath and hoping the one she attacks does not explode, she hurls one of her spears, burying the tip in the zombie.
GAME: Virgil rolls weapon1: (9)+5: 14 GAME: Virgil rolls 1d8+3: (6)+3: 9
Virgil grunts in pain at the blow to the side of his head, and staggers. He sees stars for a moment, but shakes his head and clears his vision. Thankfully. He strikes out at the nearest zombie again, managing to hit this time.
GAME: Virgil rolls weapon1: (18)+5: 23 GAME: Virgil rolls 1d8+3: (5)+3: 8 GAME: Virgil rolls weapon1: (6)+5: 11
They're trying to get past him. Virgil's not about to let that happen, considering he's trying to play bodyguard here, kind of. So he strikes out at one of the passing zombies, and thankfully his attack brings it down. He tries to strike at the second that lumbers past, but that one moves just a tad too quickly for him to get a bead on it, and the swing goes wide.
One zombie lingers to attack Virgil again, but misses and since Virgil's second attack misses the other zombie continues on toward the rest of the group standing behind Virgil.
GAME: Aithil casts Protection From Evil. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14 GAME: Morgan rolls 1d20+9: (9)+9: 18 GAME: Morgan rolls 1d20+5: (3)+5: 8 GAME: Faranth rolls weapon4: (18)+2: 20 GAME: Faranth rolls 1d6+1: (2)+1: 3
Morgan says as she sends her staff to fly on its own "THEY dont want to fight us they want to blow up where the last one did." the staff dances around the zombie only hitting it once.
Faranth draws another spear and hurls it at the zombie fighting with Virgil, watching it stab into the zombie again. "Let them by and get out of their way. They don't really seem interested in us other than we're blocking their path."
"That explosion might have been magical," Virgil points out. "If they have anything to do with the slime, they may just want the residual magic from it." But yes, Faranth seems to have a point. They're really only attacking when attacked. And if they're blown up, the group will have to work less to get rid of them. So instead he backs up, back towards where they came in. Now that the zombies have passed them, there shouldn't be anything in the way.
GAME: Morgan rolls 1d20+9: (11)+9: 20 GAME: Aithil rolls weapon2: (5)+1: 6 GAME: Morgan rolls 1d6: (1): 1
With Virgil out of the way, both zombies are heading right toward Aithil. One of them saunters right by her, taking only a small hit for it's trouble before continuing to amble its way toward the end of the path where the previous zombie had blown up. The other swings wildly at her, clearly trying to follow its companion.
GAME: Aithil casts Grease. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14 GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+0: (14)+0: 14 GAME: Morgan rolls 1d20+9: (4)+9: 13 GAME: Morgan rolls 1d20+5: (17)+5: 22 GAME: Morgan rolls 2d6: (3): 3
Morgan makes hand motions like she is controlling a puppet on strings as the staff flys and hits the zombie twice doing very little in dammage.
Aithil swipes out toward one of the passing zombies and... misses. Gloriously misses as she huffs and begins to cast instead. She squints as she floats back from the zombies, focusing on the lead one, and acts like she smearing the ground under the zombie. Which she does. With magical grease. Let the benny hill moments begin.
GAME: Faranth rolls perception: (2)+8: 10
Thinking that the danger is passed, other than a possible bit of comedy, Faranth moves out from the side tunnel she's been in and grabs the spears that she has already thrown, sliding them easily back into the sheath. She stands next to Virgil and peers into the darkness behind him, trying to make sure no more of these mindless things are coming at them.
Again the zombie blocked by Aithil tries to move past her, aimlessly waving its arm in an effort to reach its destination while the last finally collides with the wall... And detonates. The explosion throws rocks everywhere, and bits of zombie as well.
GAME: Aithil rolls reflex: (2)+5: 7 GAME: Aithil casts Grease. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14 GAME: Razen rolls 1d20: (15): 15
The blast sends her huddling, trying to cover herself from the debris pelting her with a cry out of surprise. As she stands, Aithil gives another cast of the spell from before with another spread of hand on her ground (figuratively) to leave a patch of grease in front of the next zombie and... it stands there without issue. Aithil stares in absolute disbelief as another one has escaped her evil, slippery, retribution. "How?!"
Morgan says as she looks at the wall "Some necromancer is trying to open this passage, what we want is on the other side.... maybe." she looks to Aithil and asks “are you ok?"
GAME: Faranth rolls perception: (20)+8: 28 GAME: Faranth rolls weapon4: (10)+2: 12 GAME: Faranth rolls 1d8+1: (4)+1: 5
Faranth peers behind the group and lets out a sigh. She draws one of the spears and hurls it at the zombie standing in the grease patch. "If they get to the wall they explode, the ones that are killed by other means don't seem to explode. Also. There is another group of them coming up behind us."
Virgil turns as Faranth mentions there being more of them behind them. "Are they all just heading for that point to explode?" he asks. "Where are they coming from?"
The last zombie continues forward unphased by the grease, and collides - as it seems was intended - with the wall. It explodes immediately sending another shower of rocks in every direction.
Morgan says to the group "if you want I can send a fireball down there but the chance of a gas explosion is high."
---
Zombies block one of the three exits out of the tunnels, and behind you lies the wall that some of these zombies have already partially destroyed. It is hard to tell at this distance how many zombies are headed toward you, but it looks to be at least five, and all of them with the same blue glow beneath their chests as the ones you previously faced. Distantly you hear an explosion that echoes through the cavern-like sewers. This... is not exactly what you expected when you signed up to track down some sparkling slimes.
Morgan looks to the hole and asks "Do we stop the zombies and see if the hole matters or do we let them do what ever?"
Virgil looks back to Morgan, confused. "I'm, uh. Not really sure," he notes. "I mean, other than possible structural damage, I'm not sure what the benefit is to fighting them. And there are more of them than of us, so it's unlikely we'd stop them all anyway."
Bennet double checks his rifle and shrugs. "Zombies ain't what we came for, but never a good time to let them roam loose." So says the Absolution, dedicated to the eradication of undead. He might be biased.
Morgan offers this "Lets handle this but if we have more come we leave as it might be to much for us to deal with."
The zombies continue to shuffle toward you at a walking pace. Bennet nods, and draws bead on the lead zombie. "Ya'll may wanna cover your ears." Big guns in enclosed spaces. Loud.
Virgil nods to Bennet. "That's not a terrible point," he admits. Though since Bennet's got a long-ranged weapon, that's going to make it difficult for Virgil to get into the fight without making himself an accidental target.
GAME: Morgan rolls 3d4+3: (6)+3: 9
Morgan keeps at a distance and says a freaky few words in a arcane language that sends 3 bolts hurting one of the zombies but not killing it "remember do not stand in their way, they are not targeting us."
GAME: Bennet rolls weapon9+2: (4)+11+2: 17 GAME: Bennet rolls damage9+2d6+2: aliased to 1D12+0+2d6+2: (6)+0+(2)+2: 10 GAME: Bennet rolls weapon9+2-5: (7)+11+2+-5: 15 GAME: Bennet rolls damage9+2d6+2: aliased to 1D12+0+2d6+2: (12)+0+(10)+2: 24 GAME: Virgil rolls perception: (6)+2: 8
Krak-THOOM! Click-clack! Clack-click! Krack-THOOM! Click-clack! Clack-click!
Alchemic thunder echos in the tunnels as Bennet fires, fingers moving in a blur as he reloads, brass casing hitting the ground almost the same moments as the remains of the first zombie. A second shot, and another undead joins the first in the afterlife.
GAME: Bennet rolls perception: (20)+8: 28 GAME: Morgan rolls perception: (14)+9: 23
The zombies step over their dead without remorse. The next one in line looks different than the others however, and it's blue glow blocks the sight of the two others that mill behind it a little bit.
GAME: Morgan casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 5 DC: 18 GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (14)+4: 18 GAME: Morgan rolls 4d6: (16): 16 GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (17)+4: 21 GAME: Morgan rolls 4d6: (15): 15
Morgan says calmly as she aims her fingers at the leading zombie "Be at peace." two large fiery bolts hits the leader hurting it well but not killing it. "mister Bennet I think he might explode where he is if you finish him."
GAME: Bennet rolls weapon9+2: (11)+11+2: 24 GAME: Bennet rolls damage9+2d6+2: aliased to 1D12+0+2d6+2: (7)+0+(7)+2: 16 GAME: Bennet rolls weapon9+2-5: (17)+11+2+-5: 25 GAME: Bennet rolls damage9+2d6+2: aliased to 1D12+0+2d6+2: (5)+0+(10)+2: 17
Bennet cracks off another fast pair of shots, brows rasing as the larger zombie remains standing. "...huh. Impressive... for a shambler."
Virgil hasn't stepped up yet, not wanting to end up being accidentally hit by Bennet's firearm. Sure, it makes him look the coward, but better to live a coward than die a target of friendly fire, right? But should any of the zombies gets in range of his sword, he's going to take a swing.
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+4: (19)+4: 23
The lead zombie seems to notice Bennet at least somewhat in its way, and so it swings one giant hand at him and connects if only somewhat.
GAME: Morgan casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17 GAME: Morgan rolls 3d4+3: (9)+3: 12
Morgan says something in the arcane language as three bolts hits the lead zombie "Please be at peace." said again
GAME: Bennet rolls weapon9+2: (11)+11+2: 24 GAME: Bennet rolls damage9+2d6+2: aliased to 1D12+0+2d6+2: (3)+0+(7)+2: 12 GAME: Bennet rolls weapon9+2-5: (11)+11+2+-5: 19 GAME: Bennet rolls weapon9+2-5: (11)+11+2+-5: 19
Bennet nods, more focused on taking down what remains than what has fallen. "Great or small, in the end, The Lady meets with all." Another shot takes a chunk out of a remaining zombie, and a second round finishes it off.
GAME: Virgil rolls weapon1: (3)+5: 8
With the final zombie closing in, injured, Virgil finally acts. He moves forward (not directly in front of Bennet) and takes a swing at the zombie. Of course he misses.
Perhaps it is Virgil's attack, or perhaps it is the pile of corpses on the floor, but the one remaining zombie trips and falls. It hits the ground and suddenly detonates right there... sending bits of its body everywhere.
GAME: Virgil rolls reflex: (4)+2: 6 GAME: Bennet rolls reflex: (20)+11: 31 (CRITICAL SUCCESS)
Virgil is thrown into a wall in the small space, with the force of the explosion. Fortunately not too hard, and it doesn't do much more than make him dizzy for a moment. He leans heavily on the wall for a moment while he gets his bearings. The zombie gunk will come off later. He hopes.
Bennet blehs softly, wiping the gooey chunks that did splatter him away. "That coulda gone better. But, coulda gone a whole lot worse. Reckon not bad on the whole." After double checking his weapon is fine, he turns focus to the others. "Ya'll alright?"
Virgil nods. "Yes. Just a bit dizzy," he replies to Bennet's question. Looking to Morgan, he confirms that she's reasonably unhurt. He didn't see any chunks go flying in her direction, but then again he didn't see much more than stars.
Morgan moves over to Virgil and asks "I am not a healer but I do have a bottle of mead?" she is unhurt as mages like to stay away from danger.
Thankfully there is no further sign of zombies at the moment aside from the corpses piled up on the ground. Most of them badly scorched now, and... messy.
Bennet nods, and peers around, frowning mildly. "So which way now?"
Virgil raises his free hand to decline Morgan's offer of mead. "No, but thank you. I would prefer to keep my wits about me, and enough mead to dull the pain would also dull my senses," he points out. He pauses, to look around, and doesn't see any more zombies for the time being. Bennet's question gets a shake of his head. "I'm not quite sure. There must be something about this particular wall. I suppose we might be able to investigate where the zombies came from. They must have a source somewhere.
Morgan starts to look around the area "I think the head of the guards should know this, I can send a message spell to him.... crap I cant I never met him."
GAME: Morgan rolls spellcraft: (14)+17: 31
Morgan eyes glows bright blue as she kneels down and is checking things out "I was right these zombies are some how tied to the slimes." she holds up some goop in a jar as she continues to say arcane words "I have a feeling we need shore up this hole as something on the other side is some ones goal. I don’t want to wake up another maggot man."
Bennet nods in agreement. "One is more than enough. Can't say as i brought much for tools though. Got a pack shovel, but reckon won't work too well on rock."
Virgil asks, "Does anyone happen to know where basically we are now? Figuring out where we are, and where that area behind that wall is, might be the key to finding whatever it is first."
GAME: Morgan rolls knowledge/local: (4)+10: 14 GAME: Virgil rolls knowledge/local: (3)+4: 7 GAME: Bennet rolls knowledge/local: Trained Use Only: 0
After a brief discussion you realize that you aren't sure exactly where you are in relation to the city. Somewhere near the cemetery though.
Morgan knocks on the wall to see how hollow it is "I say we check the other tunnels to see if there are more slimes before we tell the guild and who ever about this."
GAME: Morgan rolls perception: (9)+9: 18 GAME: Bennet rolls perception: (7)+8: 15 GAME: Virgil rolls perception: (14)+2: 16
It’s clear from looking at the wall that one more explosion would have been enough to break through - if there's an opening on the other side. That much is clear from how much thinner it is than the surrounding wall. Having said that, the echo of the sewer makes it hard to tell what's on the other side.
Virgil suggests, "I wonder if there's not some mausoleum in the graveyard that goes underground, and whoever is buried there took something with him when he died. Perhaps that's what these zombies are being sent towards." He doesn't knock on the wall, but places his hand on it as Morgan does, to try to feel the vibrations through the wall. However, Morgan's words get a nod. "For right now that might be our best option," he agrees.
Bennet nods. "Whole mess of stuff buried, most of it best left underground. Might be some magic item, maybe a corpse with meaning, or maybe just a good source of raw materials. Just don't know enough about what's going on."
Morgan does get a white chalk and starts to mark the walls on how to get here, she is willing to use most of it "I could make one of you stronger if you know how to do it safely."
A strange echoing sound begins to catch up to people's ears, the sound of splashing and slurping, and a low groan. "Grrrrf." Splash splash splash SPLORT. "Ugh." Splash splat sploooort SLURP. "Grrr. Ugh." Over and over, and closer and closer. Then MURDER LOOOMMS IN OUT OF THE DARKNESS! "MORGAN!", she shrieks. "I FOUND YOU!" A sky-blue dress, with many dabs and drops of mud and water, hands limply around her shoulders. On her feet, a good pair of boots that go up to her knees.
Bennet blinks, leans a little towards Morgan. "...do we shoot it?" He's honestly uncertain.
Morgan thinks we found someone to bash the wall "Something wrong Murder, and no Bennet she is a friend." Virgil turns to face the source of the noises. "More zombies?" he wonders, drawing his sword. Though when someone calls one of them by name he stands down.
Murder peers at Morgan a moment. "No, nothing is wrong. I was just happy to find you here. Why are you tromping around a sewer?" The Gobber looks to Bennet a moment. "I shoot back.", she says with a toothy grin. She raises an eyebrow at Virgil. "There are zombies down here? Where?"
There are bits and pieces of zombie, and some larger portions as well all over the ground that answer at least some of Murder's question.
Morgan nods "Well we are down here hunting slimes but we found zombies trying to explode the wall here. We stopped them but part of me really wants to know what is on the other side."
Murder peers at the wall. "Well, there is surely a way in somewhere, yes?" She looks up and down the sewer. "If you wanted in, why didn't you wait to kill the zombies til after they got through?"
Morgan says, "good chance they would of over done it"
Murder hmms and shrugs. "Well, unless someone has like a hammer or something..." She gestures to the sword on her back. "All I have is a blade." The Gobber rubs her cheek, "No hammer, no smashy."
Morgan nod "let’s check the other areas then and get the city's ok to check it out." Morgan points to a side passage to the left "try here first?
GAME: Murder rolls survival: (7)+7: 14 GAME: Virgil rolls knowledge/local: (3)+4: 7 GAME: Morgan rolls Knowledge/Dungeoneering: (4)+12: 16
You decide after a little more discussion that the wall will remain where it is a while longer without any more zombies in evidence to blow it up. So you continue on, taking one of the side passages in the hopes of finding the odd sparkling creatures you were sent out to locate. You manage to keep from getting lost amid the twists and turns. After several long minutes you realize that your path is starting to circle back around to where you were, and that is when finally you find a sign of what you're looking for. Namely a big cul de sac of sorts. The ground slopes down here, spilling water toward the cul de sac which is already filled with an oddly dark water that sparkles darkly. There's no stone walls in the cul de sac, only wet dirt where the stone ends.
Morgan eyes glow blue as she hopes this senses the slimes or attracts them to her.
Virgil frowns at this sparkling water. "That's certainly not normal." Looking at Morgan and blinking as her eyes start to glow. "Neither is that." He's probably kidding.
Morgan nods "its more of the slime, I have no idea how to deal with it."
Murder grins brightly. "Does fire work against slimes?" She takes a step forward, peering into the sparkly water. "Cause I got me some fire."
Morgan shakes her head "some of them eat magic."
"But you saw what happened last time," Virgil points out. "It might 'eat' the fire."
The declared 'slime' sits there innocently, shifting with ripples but nothing more. Perfectly ordinary water save for the shining sparkles that glitter inside it.
Murder chuckles. "Then I'll find something to burn, set that on fire, and then hold the flames to the slime." She fingers the handle of her sword. "Or I can stab it to death."
Morgan's staff levitates and flies toward the pool of sparkling water. It hits the water with a loud splash, but the water doesn't seem to react in any way other than you would expect water to. Then... as the staff readies floats there you notice a little perfectly round bubble on the surface of the water. It's tiny but there and doesn't pop. Then... it reaches out toward the staff.
Morgan hmms as she baits the slime towards the attackers
Only the one small bubble follows after the staff like an eager kitten, but smaller. It's only the size of a palm.
GAME: Murder rolls knowledge/arcana: (8)+7: 15 GAME: Morgan rolls knowledge/arcana: (16)+13: 29
Watching it move you have a momentary revelation. This thing reacts to magic. It /wants/ magic. So that big pool might form into a slime if you throw a spell at it... but otherwise it's likely to remain dormant. Until something makes it react. Like Morgan's little spell made a tiny part of it awaken into a slime.
With the pool - and thus the slime found you decide to leave it alone for now. You've found what you've come for, and it's been a long night in the sewers.
-End-