Part 5: Return to the Moathouse Ruins

Having already disregarding his unsuccessful attempts, Norris seemed in agreement with the wizard. Glancing back at the doors, he commented to the group in general, "You don't need all sorts of cover and illusion to suggest or hint at the fact that no one wants you to go through a door- that's what the locks are for. Whatever's behind them isn't coming out any time soon. I think we have the luxury of time on our side... let's take advantage of that" he suggests.

Eager to get on with the exploration, he dusted off his trousers and moved back into the central room.

"I agree, we might even find a key further in."

Mal keeps watch on the party's back while they decide what next to do.

Hrmph! "It's decided then. Let us check the rest of this chamber, including the cells, before we make more decisions. And let us hope that Maloria's strength is enough to keep the other undead at bay." Eltrezar leads the way from the middle (verbally directing and the occasional prodding) through the chamber, allowing the warriors in front to take charge once the other zombies are in view.

"I hate to admit it, but it appears you are correct. These boots were not made for kicking."

"We should kill them while they can’t fight back. We don’t want to deal with them on the way out if… something happens." she side eyes Maloria and then looks away, with a sad expression on her face.

"And someone else might stumble across them."

Anxious for the opportunity to make a quantifiable contribution to the group, Norris hastily unsheathes his sword and moves to help the spirited halfling permanently remove the turned zombies from the infamous List of Things That Could Still Kill Us. Still seeing them as a threat, though- the thief will approach them cautiously and strike fast, shuffling back in the event that they can manage any form of counter-attack. Once he realizes they are in fact fully 'helpless', he will be more relentless in his extermination.

Caution remains ever-present in his mind, however, but it has taken second place to the eagerness of helping make a difference.

Having no particular skill for physical violence, nor a desire to engage himself, Eltrezar instead moves towards the cells. He maintains as much distance between himself and the zombies as space will allow, ready to bolt at the first sign of aggression from them. He doesn't stray too far from the group, trying to keep them within the light of the lantern, but also tries to illuminate the closest cell as well, and moving on if there is nothing waiting within.

Having dispatched the zombie, Gilly gives the room a once over. She rummages around on the floor, and pushes haphazardly at the walls checking for loose stones. Content with her search, she will return to the hall.

Having caught Gilly's glance and earlier comment about the lizard, regarding which she knew had taken a friend of her's, Mal gently pats the halfling on the shoulder and offers a sincere smile.

"You make your fallen proud with every step, and I know for a fact they watch you from Cuthbert's citidel in the Heavens, beaming with joy."

With the dead men dispatched, Mal lends a hand in searching the cells top to bottom, scouring the corners and cracks with her keen dwarven eyes for any glint of a key.

Eltrezar stands back, giving light to the chamber and the cell, allowing his shorter companions the opportunity to search the area. His eyes are old and, well, human. His face drops somewhat Maloria speaks of the dead, the pain still being fresh. With more of a gesture than a word, he ushers Bors and Norris into the next cell to follow the same steps as Maloria and Gilly.

Bors takes up a position of defense at the edge of the light to keep anything from ambushing the group while they search. It gives him a moment to rest his aching foot.

As each zombie was felled, the witty rogue would search their bodies and tattered clothes in hopes of finding anything (such as coin) that may have given them an idea of who this fallen person was (or how much money they carried). Perhaps these findings could help Norris show the body to true peace (and show their coins into his purse) and bring closure to their distraught families (and new boots to his distraught feet).

"Looks like we’ve got nothing in here. Let’s keep moving down this way." she says, pointing further along the path they had just started heading!