Chapter 3: The Dark Fortress

Kendral nearly jumps upon hearing the ghastly voice. "Well, that doesn't sound very inviting" exclaims Kendral in ear shot of his companions.

Katie shudders at the sound of the voice, but steels her nerves, hand tightening on her cudgel til the knuckles turn white.

The Specter approaches and shapeshifts from a comely woman in royal attire to a fiendish visage. From her hands a sickening greenish glow emits illuminating the hallway the same color. It's no doubt she’s about to cast a spell.


Combat (player’s turn):Belvedere and Grimbly use their movement and action to run all the way to the skiff where they start to regain their composure. Katie and Xaka are bravely standing their ground (they fight as normal). Kendral follows the two all the way to the door (his movement), then realizes two of his comrades are not with them! (He still has his action but unless he uses it for a dash his roll is a bane.

When Kendral notices Xaka and Katie remain behind and he regains his composure he draws his bow and fires an arrow at the specter.

Xaka's superstitious nature gives her leave to ENGAGE and she charges, her shower glowing with supernatural hating might.

"I don't like this at all, and green is a terrible colour on you!" Katie shouts at the figure as she steps toward it and swings Nutbuster a little wildly, her nerves channeled into anger.

Xaka and Kendral’s strikes hit her hard with a ‘thud’ as if she is a sponge; splattering ectoplasm. Nutbuster, however, is totally ineffective; passing through her form like smoke.

"SOUL WEAPONS!!?" She screams in anguish as she reverts back to her normal form.

She turns and flees, fading away as she does so. "GUARDS!...GUUAAAARRRDS!" Her voice fades as her form does. "GUAAaaards…..guu…aaa….rrrd…s……."

Your Soul Weapons are no longer glowing.




Exits:

East-Back to the Harbor
South and Center-Double Doors with a sign that reads "Dining Room"
North and Center-Strong Door locked with padlock
West-Normal Exit

Pausing for a second after the spectral lady's voice dissipates. If he doesn't immediately hear the sound of marching undead guards he says to his companions, "I hope our soul weapons have stopped glowing because there are no undead around....and not because their charm has expired. We should push on as long as we have the advantage of these weapons."

Katie looks at her trusty cudgel incredulously, then back at her companions. "I hope they're not all going to be like that, or we're not going to be much help," she says quietly. This is followed by a contemplative 'hmm' as the gears begin to turn in her mind.

"The weapons proved useful once more, and we seem to be clear of undead. Let's hurry before she summons the dead to assail us!"

Belvedere starts to climb into the boat once again, just as Grimbly and he reach it. He waits for Grimbly to climb in before he pushes off!

"We shall remember them fondly, Grimbly! We shall remember them fondly! Quickly now, let’s make for the open seas before we meet the same fate!"

"Right behind you," Grimbly says, slightly winded. He's not very graceful as he clambers into the boat but he makes it without capsizing the boat and grabs an oar.

"Wait...Grimbly and Belvedere! They kept going when we made a run for it. I'll go let them know the coast is clear at the moment. Don't go face an undead horde on your own you two!" Kendral furrows his brow, points at his eyes with two fingers, and then points at Xaka. "I'll be right back!" He says sternly.

"Heavens, Grimbly! Only one of them survived! It’s Kendral! Did he say he could swim?" Belvedere says, wondering if they ought to turn the boat around for a rescue!

"I don't know. Let's go back!" Grimbly dips his oar and starts to frantically paddle back.

"Ever the hero, Grimbly! They really should knight you!" Belvedere says, through the effort of bringing the boat back around!