Delve #1

"We still have the element of surprise. Let us not give them the time to prepare before our paths cross."

As you say Brother Albrecht

Sarrgul looks through his tome one more time before falling in line with the others.

Elias wanders over to the open doorway.

Sarrgul follows.

Jingles also clinks alone behind Elias.

Albrecht sighs at the apparent lack of leadership in the group, but it's not like he's willing to take up the mantle himself. Elias may be a fanatic, but at least he doesn't lack conviction. Might as well follow the raving madman and hope for the best; either way, if things go south, he'll be ready to bail.

Elias takes the lead. As he gets close to the open doorway, he hears a strange sound: like the flapping of a gigantic bird wing. He takes a peek inside, and there is indeed something bird-like, suspended mid-air for a moment. Then he realizes, that this "wing" is an enormous piece of fabric, a long but narrow flag, in the colors of the Hornfell family, black and red.

The flag is being "flown" by two people, who stand at two sides of the wide hall, 30 feet apart. They hold the two ends of the fabric, let it dangle loosely, then lift their hands to wave and fly it, like two servants shaking off breadcrumbs from a tablecloth.

Elias is mesmerized by this movement.

But then he notices that the two figures he took to be servants are not exactly... people.

They are dressed in black-and-red servant's uniforms, right. But above the yellowed frill collars their faces are rotten, flesh rended to the skull. Their eye sockets are hollow and empty.

A third figure, in similar clothes, stands closer to the entrance, with its back turned.

The two servants repeat the process of flying the flag, as if stuck in an endless loop. They don't seem to have noticed you yet.

---

The room they are in is about 50 feet wide and at least a 100 long. There are no windows, but, since the ceiling of the room collapsed in places, some light seeps through from the levels above. On the opposite wall, there is another doorway, leading further. A closed door is on the left wall. A row of cupboards line the right wall.

The two skull-faced servants with the flag are standing in the middle of the hall, 35 feet from the entrance you are at.

The third servant is 20 feet from the entrance.

Albrecht can't help but curl a lip in disappointment. Of course it had to be undead. Not much use his blades or arrows can be of against such monsters who lack flesh and organs.
"Elias, we will rely on your flail for this one. Sarrgul, see if you can muster any helpful magicks. And Jingles... do whatever it is you do. I'll try to move into position so we can flank them" he whispers to his group.

Raising his flail as he charges the closest undead servant, Elias cries out, "Abomination! B̮͍͔̬͉̣ͅY̛͉ ̜̪̗̪̯̥͖̥Ḿ̰͓Ỳ̵̰̖͙ ̱̹̬͖̟B̮̤͍́͝L̴̬̫͖̥͍̰͇̙ͅO̖̞̻͢͡O̸̡͙̤̤͉̮͚͓̰̞͠D̗͉̟̰̣͖͔ ͏̲͚̭̹Ḭ ̡̫̬̝̙̯̳͝C̩͙̪̘̞Ų̵̢͚̯̠̲R̕҉҉͍̯̙̫̲̮̪Ş̟̫̜E̴̢̞̭̣̙͇͚͝ ͏̵̟͍Y̛̭͔̲̘̬͎͔̘O̫̭̝͝U̙͘!!!"

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A bloody sigil hovers above the Butler. Elias charges into the room, and attacks the closest undead... but misses. His swing goes wild, and Elias is unable to stop the heavy flail: he loses balance, and falls prone.

The attack alerts the creatures, who now all turn towards the intruders.

But they are not ready to fend for themselves yet... Make every action count!

---

You have a bonus surprise round.

Elias already acted. He is currently prone (due to Fumble (1) on the Attack roll).

"Butler" is the undead closest to you. Servant #1 is the undead to your left. Servant #2 is the undead to your right.

Initiative order:
13 Jingles
11 Butler, Servant #1, Servant #2
10 Albrecht, Elias
1 Sarrgul

My power will find their weaknesses! Jingles indicates to one of the servents holding the flag as a dark sigels settles about it. He runs into the room, getting close enough to strike at it with his whip. Causing a resonant boom that costs the undead with shimmering sonic energy.

Seeing Elias miss and fall down, Albrecht aims the crossbow he picked up previously at the Butler and pulls the trigger in hopes of making the most of the distraction. He then drops the weapon to the ground and circles around in order to get close to the Butler, hopefully in a flanking position, but always sticking to the wall and shadows.

Sarrgul's eyes glow an unearthly purple as he raises his hand towards the farthest butler. A sound like something wet and slithering leaks from Sarrgul's mouth as an arch of green and purple energy flows from his hand.

Jingles swiftly moves into the room - elegant and deadly, and lashes at the Servant with his whip. The creature's reaction is dull, and the thin leather stripe slashes a chunk out of its already decaying flesh. The crackling aura generated by Jingles' second spell encircles it.

Albrecht discharges the crossbow, but the bolt doesn't connect. The Butler's reactions seem swifter than the slow movements of the two Servants. As it turns, you notice that it's wearing a crudely carved wooden mask on its face. After this attempt, Albrecht reaches a nook at the wall, and becomes one with the shadows. Who knows where he will strike next?

Sarrgul reaches into the depth of a mysterious void, and pulls forth an energy none less blasphemous than the creatures you are fighting. The eldritch blast hits the undead in the chest.

Immaterial tendrils, like black smoke, spiral out from under the torn and slashed uniform of the Butler, and engulf Elias, reach down his nostrils and mouth... An acrid, foul taste, the vapors of a blasphemous abomination! A strain on both body and psyche!

---

Surprise round over! Next turn! Jingles is up first, then the enemies, than the rest of the team.

Elias at the start of his turn must make a DC 10 Constitution check, or be Poisoned until the start of his next turn (Disadvantage on attack and ability rolls). On a successful saving throw, he is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.

Albrecht is Hidden, and has Advantage on his attack roll against any of the enemy creatures.

Initiative order:
13 Jingles
11 Butler, Servant #1, Servant #2
10 Albrecht, Elias
1 Sarrgul

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MAP: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19Qdvq-n1Jg7EVh1U8MdfxyOG6L6p4w14YcJ975HEfUM/edit?usp=sharing

Jingles dances about his quarry a small amount before exclaiming You must admit that wanton slaughter is a lot of fun... and strikes at their first target. The whole display reasures Elias.

Jingles strikes once more. The Servant stumbles as the whip and the searing magic cut deep into its body. The power of Jingles' attack should be enough to bring it down-----but it remains standing, and raises its claw-like hands. How do you kill something that's not alive?!

It takes a step forward, to attack Jingles: and this is when the thunder triggers, and the deafening sonic blast finally brings the creature down.

---

The Butler towers over Elias, and slashes at him with its monstrous claws. The gash is deep... But the situation is worsened by the spreading sensation of something foul entering Elias' body.

The second Servant slowly moves over to the Elias, and slams against him with his full body. The prone flagellant cannot avoid the dead weight...

---

Elias takes 9 slashing damage and 7 bludgeoning damage.

Elias has Bardic Inspiration (1d6) (can be applied to one of the following saving throws)

Elias must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be Paralyzed for 1 minute. He can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. (Effect from the Butler's claw attack)

Elias at the start of his turn must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, or be Poisoned until the start of his next turn (Disadvantage on attack and ability rolls). On a successful saving throw, he is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours. (Effect from proximity to the Butler)

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MAP: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19Qdvq-n1Jg7EVh1U8MdfxyOG6L6p4w14YcJ975HEfUM/edit?usp=sharing

On his back, Elias laughs maniacally when the Butler rakes its claws across the flagellant's flesh. Hot, burning blood gushes from the wounds and sprays the undead servitor.

"By my blood this place will be cleansed!!!"