The Vile Tide

Jing Dao sprinted full-tilt down the mountainside, as Dalton is fired his crossbow and his pistol at a huge ogre trundling after them.  Something was not right.  The heroes were fleeing!  Dalton, not nearly as fleet-footed as the monk, lagged behind as Jing Dao ran to get help...

Meanwhile, the party regrouped after clearing some storage rooms and a makeshift barracks in the corrupted temple.  The inherent danger here and the dwindling timetable for the element of surprise were taxing, even for the best warriors.

Ziegfried decides to use the scroll of Augury he was given for helping to rescue the local blacksmith's children a handful of days ago.  And as he recited the liturgical incantation to ask a question of Justice itself, the ink burned and consumed the scroll as an offering.  "What awaits us if we rest here to bind our wounds?"

Justice does not mince words; Ziegfried heard in his mind, "WOE.”  It is as stern and as terse as a verdict is to a condemned man.

"Dammit," Ziegfried grumbled as he advised his companions accordingly.  If this experience was one of those so-called tests of faith that the other clerics and paladins kept yammering on and on about, then it's not supposed to be a cakewalk.

Wreck’t and Kun-Ghar were not faring so well.  The nosebleeds have yet to subside.  Wreck’t seemed to enjoy the killing a bit too much --dead is not dead enough--as Wreck’t took extra time to dismember his fallen enemies after reducing their HP to 0.  Wreck’t could hear the blood rushing through his ears, as he seemed a bit lost in thought.  This place was bad juju.

Having expended his Rage for the day, Kun-Ghar became exhausted in digging that deeply to summon the spirit of The Bear to aid his strength and resilience.  If he kept going this hard, it might exert physical damage.

Our heroes pressed onward.

Wreck’t kicked open the door and lunged a few feet into the room, ready for action.  Kun-Ghar was next to enter, with Bianca keeping cold company in his hands.  Ziegfried trailed closely behind, peering at a huge creature that easily stood 10 feet tall, wafting the cloying stench of decaying flesh in the air.  And it brought friends: two gnolls, and two...  not so healthy-looking gnolls--Witherlings!  The orcs apparently turned a few of their allies into creatures beyond the pale!

A huge Ogre Zombie barred the way forward, munching on a human leg.  It had a few darts piercing its flesh and a smattering of holes wide enough to squeeze a thumb through: bullet holes.

At its feet laid a tattered coat: Dalton's coat. On the floor behind the bloated thing was a crossbow: Dalton's crossbow.

Taking Ziegfried's advice to heart, Wreck’t did not challenge the big Ogre Zombie right away, instead deciding to pick off the smaller, easier enemies.

Kun-Ghar, driven to near madness by whispers in his head, still heard the wisdom of Shiny Man.  With a sinister grin, Kun-Ghar only uttered, "More kills for me."

Ziegfried Turned the Undead away handily, still in touch with the good graces of Justice, even in this befouled place.  It was enough to make the Ogre Zombie immediately flee to a glowing door.  Whatever that door guarded or sealed, the party may be buried alive to be part of the slaughter to come!

Moments later, Jing Dao rejoined his friends to flank the enemies and offer advantage! With proper teamwork and some well-placed attacks, the party persevered and prevailed over this surge of undead.

Ziegfried found an Arcane Key that seemed to be attuned to two locks, a Sentinel Shield that would help keep him alert, and two Potions of Greater Healing.  On top of that, Ziegfried found, in Dalton's bag, a heaping bounty of gnoll and hyena ears, plus a tabard with heraldry totally unrelated to either the gnoll slaughter cult or the crcish warband allies.  This might be the lynchpin of Jing Dao's suspicion of the unseen player in this game!

Ziegfried, recognizing the limits of his ability, ordered the group to chug those potions immediately.  Kun-Ghar also took a Potion of Vitality to stem the effects of exhaustion for 24 hours.

Wreck’t dismembered the body of the Ogre Zombie and confirming that Dalton has not been consumed!  Then Jing Dao didn't abandon Dalton?  It was still too soon to tell until Dalton is found and able to tell everyone what's really good.

After the party gathered their bearings and quaffed their potions, Jing Dao obliterated the unwarded doors forward with a flash of his Ki.  The goal was to press the element of surprise to the last drop and startle these cultists into inaction.

They found a chanting ritual in the former atrium of this Temple of the Sun around a baptismal font filled to the brim with fresh blood.  Atop a crumbling plinth was the exhausted body of Dalton, too weak from exhaustion to move.  Ziegfried and Kun-Ghar noted another set of magically locked doors and a set of doors on the opposite side.  There might yet be more threats outside the immediate threat to Dalton's life, as Wreck’t braced for a one-man charge against all odds to save the man who raised the orc cavalier!

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