Barston, Derron, and Faruin have been freeing the people of Yewsforth. Now they make one last offensive to drive the cultist leader from the church and back to the wizard's tower.

from a photo by Claudio Carrozzo on Unsplash

Two cards!

  • 135 → 10d6! Zombies! TEN D SIX! That's farrrrrr too many.
  • 82 → Giant Toad.

Ok, the head cultist is a toad-like man. Surrounded by skeletons and a number of weaker zombies. Let's just 3d6 → 13. Only, let's say skill 3 and stamina of 1. The idea being they work in clumps. He is nowhere near as good as [WIZARD] in summoning undead. Each additional zombie adds one stamina and +1 skill. Clump of 4 would be Skill 6/4. I like that. 3 clumps. 2 of 4 and 1 of 5 (for 7/5). As they lose stamina, they lose members and their skill drops unless they reclump.

Wait, +10. There is a mass of 10 zombies blocking the door (12/10). Which is a danger.

Does this church have larger windows? (50/50) → 22. Another random event. Let's see, descriptions this time. 32 Fragrant 11 Cold. Hmmm. Big old censers. Instead of windows, the interior was lit by the big old kind of brass censers you see on RPG module covers. Now gone cold.

Do these zombies chase based on sight? (50/50) → 99. Man. Random: 76 NPC 73 Negative. That's ominous. They chase based on the commands of the Cultist Sorcerer, but he has drained himself down to a single stamina by summoning such a horde.

Something has made him panic and he pushed it too far and is trying to recover.

Faruin wipes flakes of bone off her blood-stained sleeve. Yet another skeleton has been smashed to bits by the trio. The last half-hour, the team has been wrapping up fighting remnants. A dozen cultists have been routed out of town. Three times that many skeletons.

What I'll do is this. 2d6-d6 [which is NOT the same as 1d6]. This will be how much stamina has been lost in the series of fights.

  • B: 7-2 = 5. He will have healed himself back to full.
  • D: 12 [ooooof] - 1 = 11. Derron has been healed by both priests but still is lacking 3 Stamina.
  • F: 7 - 4 = 3. She'll have healed herself back up.

This means Faruin can still heal Barston. Besides that, they have effectively tapped out their healing.

Now I'll do d6-4 to see how much luck has been lost. In this case, it can be positive since their deeds probably should have been giving them back some luck...

  • B: 2-4 = gets back +2 Luck.
  • D: 4-4 = luck unchanged.
  • F: 4-4 = luck unchanged.

Finally, will roll 3d6. Each 1-4=0, 5-6=1. 2. Barston has used up 2 arrows.

Derron has a massive gash across his stomach. Barston and Faruin's healing have sealed it mostly but it still pains him to move.

Barston blinks back sweat from his eyes. It has not been an easy day. In fact, it reminds him of the time Derron, Astrid, and he entered into the warlocks' domain. Those days of constant fighting, constant surviving. Until a sneak attack took Astrid and none of the magic meant to bring her back to life worked.

Which lead to this quest. Derron and Barston, traveling Phillia. Looking for a miracle. Finding the ancient pathways of the now gone Sennas faith.

He lifts his mace and points to the old stone church in front of them. Like the tower, it is a relic. Though it is not so much an ancient building but a new one built out of ancient brick. Its squat design with an unadorned tower beside it makes it strikingly plain, but no doubt visible for some distance either from the foothills or across the plains.

Is the [Wizard] [Tower] clearly visible from town? (50/50) → 96. Exceptional No. So it is "nearby" but also very hidden from town. Obscured by a spell seems awfully fun.

"Here seems to be our destination to finish up this town. Then we can try and locate this tower Fenwick was talking about. Derron, check around and make sure there are no boney bastards waiting in ambush?"

This is a pointless roll but I want to just establish a confidence level. Derron gets 8+8. That's moderately-to-majorly confident.

Derron comes back around and says the area seems empty.

The three check their equipment and rush up and push against the door. It gives just slightly but then slams back shut. Looking at each other they put their door against and give it another push...

For this I'll take Barston's Strength of 9 as a starting point. +1 for each 4 skill of his companions. +2 from Derron. +1 for Faruin. 7+12 vs 8+12. The zombies inside hold it closed.

...but are shoved back as some weight on the other side gets the upperhand and shoves back with force. Briefly, as the door was cracked open, they got a whiff of some awful odor.

"Het ruikt naar het graf," Faruin says.

Barston nods, not comprehending. "Yes, it smells like the grave, too."1

They also could hear the panicked shrieking of that strange, other tongue. At least one cultist is inside and it sounds like they are having a bad time.

Barston steps back and walks to the side opposite the tower and gives it a think. He tries to guess roughly where the voice was coming from...

Awareness...target = hmmm, let's say 18. Add in a bit of a difficulty to it. He gets 4+9 = 13. He does not guess correctly. We'll have him go too much to the middle.

After a few moments to do some mental math, he pulls out his brush and the old paint tubes and says a prayer to Sennas before painting a shape in the air. A window. Stained glass. In it, a beautiful elven woman with a crown of many colors plays a lyre.

One day I will need to sit down and figure out the specifics of Sennas's gift. It is somewhere between "create a new piece of reality with art" and "pull forth from an alternate reality." For now, I'll just try and keep its effect somewhat balanced.

Once done he steps back. He hears a gasp from Faruin. Either from the ability or the quality he does not know. He just knows he hates this next bit.

"Sorry, my love..."

With a nod towards Derron the two leap into the stained glass portrait of Astrid and drop into a room filled with undead.

This one goes a bit of both ways. A) the inside of the church just lit up with sunlight. B) the cultist inside knows that something is happening because of #A. Since the zombies need him to guide them, and he has human eyes, we'll say the first turn is at -4 since he is semi-blinded and confused.

Behind the table where the local priest gives the weekly sermon, a grotesquely batrachian man is blinking back the blinding light while barking orders to dozens of undead creatures.

Are these zombies raised from the local dead? (Likely) → 61. Yes.

Barston recognizes the clothing as matching the general style of the townsfolk he has rescuing. Maybe a bit older and much more worn. "He's brought them up from the crypts!"

The exceptions are four more skeletal warriors taking up a defensive position around the frog-like man. That will be for later. For now, the trio must survive a sea of half-broken zombies.

Ok, +4s.

  • B (vs Zombie Horde #1, the second largest one): 4+12+4 = 20. ZH#1: 5+7 = 12. B does damage damage: rolls 2=1 = 3 (3St). First horde has 3 of its five members destroyed outright.
  • D (vs ZH#2): 6+4+11. ZH#2: 4+6 = 10. He will also score double damage. 4+1 = 5 (3St). Only 1 zombie remnant is in ZH2.
  • F vs ZH3: 9+4+7 [20] vs CRIT (4, She'll take max weapon damage and has her sword knocked out of her hand..we'll give her luck to hold it: passes. She'll still take damage but not max). Zombies are unarmed: 4 (1 Stamina).

The zombies from the group of 10 will redistribute. How, we'll find out. I'll roll 10d3 [lord]. One second... 1:2 2:3 3:5. This means FIVE goes to ZH3. Swelling it from 6/4 to 11/9. 3 go to ZH2 which resets it. 2 go to ZH1 which makes it 6/4.

Barston is going to help Faruin. ZH 1 targets {B | D | F} → D. ZH1 + ZH2 = 9 as well. This means it is now two hordes of 11/9. Spicy!

As Faruin stumbles backwards under the crushing weight of the zombies, the huge number holding the door shut shamble over and start joining in the fray. Faruin is in danger of being overwhelmed so Barston runs over to help her out. Now the zombies are starting to split between the two groups of heroes.

Derron is going back into his Dodging fight style (+3 to Armor, -3 to Damage).

  • ROUND TWO
    • B + F vs ZH3: 10+1+12 [23] and 7+1+8 [16] vs 4+11 [15]. B does double damage 4+1=5(3St*2). F does 1+1=2(3hp). They manage to kill all the zombies in a couple of heavy blows.
    • D vs ZH2: 10+11 [21] vs 10+11 [21]. A tie...
  • ROUND THREE
    • Now all three vs ZH2: 5+2+12 [19] + 11+2+11 [24] + 3+2+8 [13]. ZH2 is targeting B with 11+11 = 22. They hit. Since it is so many, we'll treat this as unarmed giant: 4 = 2 Stamina. Barston' armor blocks 5 (2) and 4 (0). He manages to block it. Derron gets a hit for 2-3 = 0 damage. He's still too focused on dodging.
    • The cultist sends the four skeletal warriors to join in. Barston is going to keep facing the horde while Derron blocks off the 3 of the skeletal warriors and Faruin takes one.
  • ROUND FOUR
    • B vs the Horde: 7+12 vs FUMBLE. Nice! Fumble (unarmed) = 6. They will be at -3 next round. 2+11 = 13. Barston gets double damage. 5+1 = 6 (3 stam *2). That drops them to just 3 remaining. He'll shout for Faruin to pull back and fight these. She gets 7+7 = 14. Does not understand.
    • D vs S1, S2, S3: 11+11 [22] vs 11+8+2 [21], 11+8+2 [21], 6+8+2 [16]. Cloooose. No damage all around.
    • F vs S4: 7+8 [15] vs 8+8 [16]. She takes 6+1 (4 Stam) damage. Down to 3.

The skeleton fighting Faruin stabs through her mid-section and she cries out in deep pain. Derron is holding his own but there is not much he can do to help her.

Barston gives up trying to call her back and rushes to fight the skeleton in front of her.

Is there a back door? (50/50) → 67. No.

  • ROUND FIVE
    • B and F vs SK4: 7+12+1 [20] and 4+8+1 [13] vs 8+8 [16]. She takes 1+1 (3 stam) more damage and drops. B does 6+1 (4 stam) to it. 4 remain.
    • D: 10+11 [21] vs 3+8+2 [13] + 4+8+2 [14] + 8+8+2 [18]. Derron does 4-3 [1 stamina]. 7 remain.
  • ROUND SIX
    • F: 5 out 9. Passes her Luck test. She has stabilized.
    • B: Going for a crushing blow. -2 to Skill. 8-2+12 = 18. S4 = 9+8 [17]. Barston does 4+1 [3 Stamina +1 = 4]. This destroys the skeleton before it can hit Faruin again.
    • Poor D: 6+11 [17]. 8+8+2 [18]. 6+8+2 [16]. 3+8+2[13]. SK1 does 5+1 [3] - 1+3 [1]. D takes 2 stamina damage.
  • ROUND SEVEN
    • B takes S2 and S3. 5+12 [17] vs 7+8 [15] and 8+8 [16]. B does 3+1 (3 stamina) damage, 5 remain.
    • D takes S1: 9+11 [20] vs 6+8 [14]. Double damage, but still at -3. 6+1-3=4(3 stam *2). 2 remain.
    • Derron drops the dodging stance.
  • ROUND EIGHT
    • B vs S2, S3: 12. Critical (6, inflicts double). 12+12 = 24. 8+8 = 16. Powerful blow. Thats *4. 3+1=4 (3 stamina). Smashes it to bits.
    • D vs S1: 11+11 [22]. 7+8 [15]. Double damage vs S1: 3+1=4 (3 stamina *2). Smashes it.
  • ROUND NINE
    • D takes S3 while B does an emergency heal. S3: 5+8. D: 5+11. D does 4+1=5 (3 stamina). 5 remain.
    • To cast healing again takes a point of luck from Faruin. She is down to 7 but has 5 Stamina and is coming back conscious.
  • ROUND TEN
    • Sensing defeat, the cultist is going to try and sneak. Skill of 9. 5+9 = 14. B: 6+9 = 15. Spots him. He goes after the cultist.
    • B vs C: 4+12 [16] vs 7+9 [16]. Cultist pulls out a black-bladed dagger and blocks the attack.
    • D vs S3: 8+11 vs 4+8. Double damage from D: 6+1 = 4 Stamin *2. There we go. He'll help B vs the Cultist.

It is at this time I realize I have forgotten the weak zombies. They are only at 5/3 so not really a threat. We'll have Faruin fight them. They were mostly filler enemies, anyhow.

  • ROUND ELEVEN
    • B and D vs C: 3+1+12 [16] and 6+1+11 [18] vs 9+9 [18]. Cultist stabs B for 6+1 (3 Stamina). B blocks 4 (1) and 4 (0). Takes 2 stamina.
    • F vs ZH: 8+8 [16] vs 10+5 [15]. She does 2+1=3 (3 stamina) and chops up the others.
  • ROUND TWELVE
    • B+DvsC: 5+12+1 [18]+ 4+11+1 [16] vs 9+8 [17]. Barston does 6+1=7 (4 stamina). Does the cultist have armor? Let's say Chain. He blocks 1 (which is either 1 or 2 stamina, but not enough, he is slain.

Barston runs back over to Faruin and starts fussing over her and trying to help heal up more of her wounds...

Barston Healing is 8. +9 = 17. Success. He heals 2 stamina. She is now just lacking one.

In turn, she is going to cast her heal on him for 3. He is missing 1.

...as she fusses back in East Phillian and summons forth a blessing of Galana to heal him, in turn.

Derron spends the time searching the cultist's body.

Does the cultist have some device to find the tower? (Very Likely) → 62. Yes. Let's see what form it takes...hmm. Why not, one of the cards: 199 Corpse Cavern. A body part. A dehydrated eye on an iron chain. Does holding work? (50/50) → 15. Yes.

Derron holds up the strange amulet and Barston nods.

"First, let's make sure everyone in the town is ok and see what we can find out about this strange tower we seek..."

  1. Bilingual humor! ↩︎