8: A foe more fearsome than seven unholy abominations

[Ebiris]

[16:23] <@Ebiris> Rudy approaches the wooden door, up some steps away from the rocky ledge and burbling water. He can't hear anything on the other side of the door, which looks somewhat battered and worn much like every other door in this place, its hinges and handle both shot through with rust. Bracing himself, he attempts to give it a shove...
[16:23] <@Ebiris> OOC: strength check, Rudy?
[16:23] <Rudy> roll 1d20
[16:23] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20 and gets 14." [1d20=14]
[16:24] * Joins: Henrietta (~corwin@p11811112.orange.net.il)
[16:26] <@Ebiris> The door budges slightly to Rudy's efforts, not stuck into the frame like the one Henrietta dealt with on first arriving, but something behind it seems to be barring further movement - a barricade or a bar set across the door, one can't tell without looking. It'll take more muscle than that to force it open.
[16:26] <Rudy> There isn't much to be done, then; Rudy leans up against the door and puts his back into it! OOC: I'll take 20
[16:30] <@Ebiris> It takes a good minute of straining and locking his feet against the rocky sides of the alcove to keep from slipping down and into the water, but Rudy eventually hears a splintering of wood and a scraping sound as the door is forced open, pushing an old looking chair away from it as it moves to reveal the next room! And what's more, Rudy's nose is swiftly assaulted by a horrific smell, much like that of the zombies from before! Only the corpse here is thanfully unmoving, laying across the floor with dark and bulging flesh pressing against its leather armour as if ready to burst. A familiar dragon tattoo is faintly made out on his bare arm against the diseased flesh, and in one hand it clutches a crumpled note. Beyond that the room seems a rather barren antechamber, another chair over by the wall and a door leading further on opposite the one just opened.
[16:31] * Rudy raises his arm to block out his nose, though by now his shirt is damp with sweat and salt as is. Gingerly, he reaches over to the note and plucks it out of the corpses hand.
[16:33] <@Ebiris> The corpse doesn't resist, the note barely snagging on his fingers before Rudy has it liberated. Unfurling it, he discovers scrawled writing, made in an unsteady hand with likely watered down ink. It's hard to read even with Miranda's lamp, but nonetheless it is legible enough to reveal the following hate-fuelled missive:
[16:33] <@Ebiris> These bones once be Penkus, so if ye read this, I be dead, laid low by the sick put on me by that foul undead thing! Yet even as me flesh wracks, know t'was not the dead what brought my doom, but one I til recently called friend!
[16:33] <@Ebiris> Vanthus Vanderboren! Your name fills me with bile! Spineless, treacherous cur! You left us here to die. You left ME here to die after all what I done t'get ye into th'Lotus! Yer designs on the Lady of the Lotus be clear now, and with meself out th'way... ye doubtless move even now into power, slithering amid my vacancy like a hermit crab in a shell, or a cadaver worm to still-warm flesh. CURSE UPON YE!
[16:33] <@Ebiris> To th'one who reads this. If ye have any honour or vengeance in yer soul, know that Vanthus must die. He dwells in the lao o' th'Lotus below th'Taxidermist's Hall. Seek him there, but'fore he dies he must ken it were Penkus what undid him and guides yer killing blow.
[16:33] <@Ebiris> And if, by some cruel spite of fate it be ye what reads this, Vanthus, know with certainty I wait for ye in th'Underworld, where I intend t'rival Hades himself in yer torment!
[16:36] <Rudy> Rudy eyes the note with morbid curiosity, reading over it a few times before eventually slipping it into his pocket. "Decent scrawl. Even caught the accent in his prose," he mutters, advancing on the opposite door and pausing to listen before trying to open it.
[16:37] <@Ebiris> Unlike all the other doors here, this one boasts a lock! And seems to be made of far sturdier wood, too, seeming mostly whole rather than rotted and flaking. The same can't exactly be said for the lock in question, however, which seems thoroughly corroded to the point that it's dubious it would turn even with the key. Nothing is heard behind it, though.
[16:41] * Rudy quickly goes through the room, searching for a key, perhaps to be found in the pockets of that.. no, he doesn't look through it himself, he decides, but opts to spend a minute recalling Myra and has her do it.
[16:44] <@Ebiris> Myra proceeds to go through the corpse's belongings, finding a few things of potential interest - a well crafted gold ring on one of his fingers, and a finely made dagger still in its sheath yet flecked with blackened blood. The leather armour looks to be of fine construction, but would likely need a very thorough cleaning before anyone would dare to wear it again.
[16:44] <@Ebiris> Sadly no keys, however.
[16:48] <Rudy> Rudy pockets the ring, but he has no interest in wearing a dead man's armour- it clearly didn't do him much good. He tries the door to see if the lock will just give way when shoved.
[16:48] <@Ebiris> OOC: strength check
[16:48] <Rudy> roll 1d20
[16:49] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20 and gets 13." [1d20=13]
[16:49] <@Ebiris> It doesn't even budge in the slightest. Something will need to be done about that lock, or more destructive measures taken...
[16:55] * Rudy decides against bashing down the door, presuming that it was closed and locked for a good reason, and instead dismisses Myra and begins slowly picking his way back to where he started.

----

[17:12] <@Ebiris> While Rudy explores the partly flooded craggy passageway, Henrietta, Glenn, Como, and the unconscious Miranda return back to the corridor near the entrance shaft, everpresent echoing moans and groans sounding all around from the other inhabitants of this dank hellhole, currently out of sight but sounding pressingly close thanks to the strange acoustics down here. The flickering torchlight barely manages to light up the corridor, only dim slivers passing into the two rooms beyond where the play of shadow constantly hints at movement just at the edge of perception...
[17:13] <Henrietta> It should hopefully be enough to alert them to any attack, Henrietta thinks, taking a defensive position with Miranda a few feet behind Glenn.
[17:16] <@Ebiris> Indeed, the alert comes all too soon when another walking corpse shambles into view, entering the fitful light creeping into the room where the first three zombies came from barely five minutes ago! Following the same pattern of emaciated near skeletal form with ragged flesh barely hanging on, dressed in threadbare tatters, and boasting a shark's grin as it groans and shambles towards Glenn!
[17:16] <@Ebiris> OOC: initiative
[17:16] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20
[17:16] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 and gets 2." [1d20=2]
[17:16] <Henrietta> roll 1d20+2
[17:16] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 and gets 20." [1d20=18]
[17:16] <Glenn> roll d20+4
[17:17] * Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+4 and gets 12." [d20=8]
[17:17] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Henrietta > Glenn > Zombie'
[17:17] <Glenn> "Ugh...Another one? I hope Rudy is having better luck than us..." Glenn groans.
[17:17] <@Ebiris> OOC: your move, hatgirl
[17:17] <Henrietta> Damn those unnatural things! Henrietta gestures angrily at the shambling corpse to burn a hole through its unbeating heart, before hefting her flail.
[17:17] <@Ebiris> OOC: dropping Miranda/torch?
[17:18] <Henrietta> roll 1d20+2 acid
[17:18] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 acid and gets 20." [1d20=18]
[17:18] <Henrietta> OOC: Miranda is on the ground
[17:18] <Henrietta> roll 1d3
[17:18] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d3 and gets 3." [1d3=3]
[17:18] <@Ebiris> OOC: torch, then?
[17:18] <Henrietta> OOC: Not yet
[17:20] <@Ebiris> The acid flies through the dim light to splash onto the monster's chest, sizzling and eating through pallid flesh and ribs beneath, but not slowing the creature as it shambles straight at Glenn with teeth leading the way!
[17:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
[17:20] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+4 and gets 24." [1d20=20]
[17:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+4 crit check
[17:20] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+4 crit check and gets 13." [1d20=9]
[17:20] <Glenn> ooc: I thought I beat it at init? =p
[17:20] <@Ebiris> OOC: Oh, my bad, yeah. Strike that.
[17:20] <Glenn> ooc: hit though but not crit if you want to keep the roll for later.
[17:20] <@Ebiris> The acid flies through the dim light to splash onto the monster's chest, sizzling and eating through pallid flesh and ribs beneath, but not seeming to give the creature any pause or hesitation!
[17:20] <@Ebiris> OOC: Glenn
[17:21] <Glenn> As the creature continues to approach, Glenn lobs another alchemical bomb, somewhat hesistant about moving in close to such creatures after the last one. When it gets close, sure, they can dance, but not before!
[17:22] <Glenn> roll d20+4
[17:22] * Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+4 and gets 15." [d20=11]
[17:22] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[17:22] <Glenn> roll d6+5
[17:22] * Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d6+5 and gets 11." [d6=6]
[17:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[17:22] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 65." [1d100=65]
[17:24] <@Ebiris> The bomb sails through the air to impact square on the zombie, igniting it in a gush of flame! And not just the zombie, but the ancient wooden pillar beside it manages to catch light from the blast as well. It's slow burning, but flames begin to creep up its length even as the walking corpse tumbles into an ashen heap on the floor!
[17:24] * Quits: Henrietta (~corwin@p11811112.orange.net.il) (Ping timeout)
[17:24] <@Ebiris> OOC: fight over
[17:25] <Glenn> "...Ah shit," Glenn mutters as he watches the flames spread, and looks around for how to put them out quickly.
[17:26] <@Ebiris> There's lots of water back in the room behind you were you fought the crabs. Getting it from there to the pillar might be another issue, however.
[17:27] * Yomi is now known as Henrietta
[17:28] * @Henrietta stares at the burning pillar in a total lack of comprehension
[17:29] <@Ebiris> It's burning slowly, the aged wood and damp air not making for the most flammable environment, but the flames are tenaciously hanging on and spreading! It even lights up the room a bit better, allowing you to see a corridor running out of sight opposite your own.
[17:30] <@Henrietta> Having it burn down would be a bad idea, probably. It's certainly smelly. Henrietta attempts to contain much of the fire using her rays of frost. Worst case, the complex collapses and kills her.
[17:30] <Glenn> "I don't suppose you have something we can use to put out the fire since you're always prepa...?" Glenn starts to asks then pauses as she casts her spell. "Well, that's useful."
[17:31] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[17:31] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 69." [1d100=69]
[17:31] <@Henrietta> "You saw me do it back on the ship just a few days ago, remember?"
[17:32] <@Ebiris> It takes three rays from Henrietta to do the job, the ancient and pitted wood frosting over above the blackened chars made by the fire, and it creaks ominously but otherwise seems to hold stable... for now.
[17:32] <Glenn> "We have a lot on our minds going on!" Glenn defends himself as he sweeps his hand to gesture at their entire situation. "I'm not going to remember it on a moment's notice when we only met a few days ago too!"
[17:33] <@Henrietta> "Do try not to bring it down on our heads!" Henrietta responds, her voice rising slightly. "We can't afford to be cut off at this point! Keep watch past the corridor if you must. I can give you this torch."
[17:34] <@Ebiris> As the pair bicker, more light comes from behind them as Rudy emerges from the tidal caves and into the flooded chamber...
[17:35] <Rudy> "Bombs. I believe I said something about not throwing bombs in here. If I didn't, well, I'm sure I thought it was rather obvious," mutters Rudy, eyeing the pillars and trying to figure out how long the room can possibly hold up.
[17:36] * @Henrietta just sighs.
[17:36] <@Henrietta> "There is no passage across, I take it?"
[17:37] <Glenn> "I forgot, already, let it go, people!" Glenn complains before Henrietta's comment registers. "Ah...damn."
[17:37] <@Ebiris> OOC: knowledge architecture if you care to, Rudy
[17:37] <Rudy> roll 1d20+6
[17:37] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+6 and gets 21." [1d20=15]
[17:37] <Rudy> "There's a door, but it's sturdy, and also locked," replies Rudy. "I did find something interesting, though. Let's go somewhere safer. Like away from here."
[17:38] <@Henrietta> "I doubt such a place exists. This corpse just reached us, so they must still be walking about. I'm starting to think we should just seek them out and eliminate the lot of them."
[17:40] -> *Rudy* You think it's stable enough as is if it stays undisturbed. But knocking out one of those pillars would likely lead to a localised collapse, possibly a domino effect if that takes out adjacent pillars
[17:41] <Rudy> "I mean, in terms of a place that won't fall down if someone lightly breathes on the woodwork. Personally, I'd rather be exit-hunting than zombie-hunting." clarifies Rudy. "We won't be finding Vanthus here, I'm rather certain of that."
[17:42] * @Henrietta frowns, and glances back towards the way they came through. "In that case, I have an idea, but I'll need help."
[17:42] <Rudy> "Let's hear it."
[17:45] <@Henrietta> "Raven familiars are intelligent, from my understanding. They lack opposable thumbs, but if we work together, we might be able to get my rope all the way to that hook above and then back down. It is fifty feet long, which should be just about enough. Then, if someone were to keep a firm hold on one end while I tied the other to me and climbed up...." Henrietta shrugs lightly. "It's a start,
[17:45] <@Henrietta> yes? Worth trying, in the absense of better options?"
[17:47] <Rudy> "Like a pulley? It's better than rooting around here all day looking for an exit that might never appear."
[17:47] * Rudy gives the room one more nervous glance, and then backs out to head towards the trapdoor.
[17:47] <@Henrietta> "It reduces the danger from me fumbling and falling down thirty feet to my death rather drastically."
[17:48] <Glenn> Glenn quietly nods his agreement. "What can we do to help?"
[17:49] <@Ebiris> Returning back to the shaft, the group once more find Shefton's corpse cluttering up the bottom, no light filtering from above where the trapdoor blocks the way.
[17:50] <Rudy> "Can you drag this fellow out the way, Glenn, and we'll get started?"
[17:51] <@Henrietta> "Like I said, I think the rope alone would not be enough. And, of course, if I was pulled gently up, it would aid my efforts," Henrietta says, getting her rope once more and waving Miranda's familiar over. "I need to tie this to your feet," she tells the raven slowly. "Do you think you can carry it up towards the hook and loop around it before returning?"
[17:53] <@Ebiris> The raven eyes Henrietta back in its own inscrutable fashion. Its legs do look rather delicate for tying a rough hemp rope around.
[17:53] * Glenn slowly drags Shefton's corpse away, trying not to smell the body. He didn't smell very good alive, he'd be worse dead probably.
[17:54] <@Ebiris> It's an aroma of character, that much is for certain.
[17:54] <Rudy> "Maybe I could climb up without the rope. How hard can it be? There's.. walls.." mumbles Rudy, eyeing the shaft.
[17:54] * @Henrietta improvises by tying her handkerchief to bridge that gap. "Try a few feet, and if it won't work, get back?"
[17:56] <@Ebiris> The shaft is tall and forboding, its somewhat craggy surface slick with moisture and moss throughout. Como seems rather perturbed by Henrietta's handling and flaps his wings to take off from her hand, barely managing a couple of feet before emitting a startled caw and spiralling into a nosedive into the dirt!
[17:56] <Rudy> "There's no point with the trapdoor still there, evne if I get up I won't be able to shove it open without falling, most likely."
[17:57] * @Henrietta catches the raven, scrapping that plan. "Right," she says, untying the rope, "time for the next plan. Step back." She aims carefully at the trap door to drill a hole in it large enough to allow her grappling hook through.
[17:57] <@Ebiris> OOC: you can just roll damage for your first one and then make attacks on subsequent ones to hit the same spot
[17:57] <@Henrietta> roll 1d3
[17:57] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d3 and gets 1." [1d3=1]
[17:58] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2
[17:58] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 and gets 17." [1d20=15]
[17:58] <@Henrietta> roll 1d3
[17:58] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d3 and gets 2." [1d3=2]
[17:59] <@Ebiris> The acid spatters and sizzles on the metal, a few drops falling back down but thankfully not hitting anyone... hard to tell what effect it's had from here, but it's definitely not breached.
[17:59] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2
[17:59] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 and gets 15." [1d20=13]
[17:59] <@Henrietta> roll 1d3
[17:59] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d3 and gets 2." [1d3=2]
[18:01] <@Ebiris> This one is off centre, spattering elsewhere on the metal... the acid sizzles but it's too far and too dark to tell if it's actually strong enough to eat through the trapdoor.
[18:02] * @Henrietta tries several more in quick succession, hoping for favorable results!
[18:02] <@Henrietta> roll 10#1d20+2
[18:02] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 10#1d20+2 and gets 106." [10#1d20+2 = 15, 11, 3, 9, 18, 8, 12, 11, 4, 15]
[18:03] <@Ebiris> More and more green gobs of acid sail up to hit the trapdoor, most hitting in a fairly widely dispersed pattern rather than nailing the smaller target Henrietta picked for herself. There's a fairly steady stream of acid drops falling downwards by now, too, but no sign of the trapdoor's structural integrity failing.
[18:05] <@Henrietta> She's already wasted so much time, so Henrietta wastes as much more, this time aiming for the rock just past the trap door! Maybe she could make her own entrance.
[18:05] <@Henrietta> roll 10#1d20+2
[18:05] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 10#1d20+2 and gets 92." [10#1d20+2 = 6, 13, 21, 5, 7, 6, 17, 6, 4, 7]
[18:05] <@Henrietta> roll 10#1d3
[18:05] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 10#1d3 and gets 22." [10#1d3 = 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 3, 3]
[18:06] * Rudy decides to move under cover, just where the tunnel begins.
[18:07] * @Henrietta waits there, just by the tunnel's entrance!
[18:08] <@Ebiris> ore acid continues to sail up and hit the rock, but it seems even less reactive than metal... it seems cantrip-grade acid just isn't strong enough to burn through this problem.
[18:08] <@Ebiris> More*
[18:09] * @Henrietta waits another minute for the acid to clear and stop dripping, before firmly securing her grappling hook to her rope. With a twirl, she sends it flying up in an attempt to snag the hook above.
[18:10] <@Ebiris> OOC: make a ranged attack roll, the grappling hook has a range increment of 10 so that's a -4 penalty
[18:11] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20-2
[18:11] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20-2 and gets 1." [1d20=3]
[18:11] <@Ebiris> The hook sails up and clangs off the trapdoor before falling back down.
[18:12] <@Henrietta> Henrietta's shoulders drop.
[18:13] <@Ebiris> While Henrietta tries her grappling, Glenn is the first to see another zombie approaching from where he dumped Shefton's body in the corridor. Although it doesn't even notice Glenn back in the narrow passage as it instead falls on the luckless 'guide' with a ravenous hunger!
[18:13] <Rudy> "May I take a shot?" asks Rudy, peering up the shaft. "I might have a shot at this."
[18:14] <Glenn> "Guys, we have more company!" Glenn warns the others. "We can try again after it's dead!"
[18:14] * @Henrietta is in the process of passing the hook over, before she freezes.
[18:14] <@Ebiris> Now everyone can hear the messy sound of flesh being devoured, skin ripping and bones crunching... but no background of moaning.
[18:15] <Rudy> "It's already dead!" replies Rudy, crossly turning around and drawing his crossbow. "If it's dead, why does it need to eat?" he asks, a moment later.
[18:16] <@Henrietta> "They will keep on coming, and coming, and coming," Henrietta hisses, following the zig-zagging path until the point where she can see the zombie. From that point on, it only remains to burn it with acid.
[18:16] <@Ebiris> The zombie seems fully engrossed in devouring Shefton, completely oblivious to everything else.
[18:16] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2 die, dammit
[18:16] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 die, dammit and gets 7." [1d20=5]
[18:16] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[18:16] <@Henrietta> roll 1d3
[18:16] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d3 and gets 2." [1d3=2]
[18:17] * @Henrietta will burn it again and again, as much as it takes!
[18:17] <@Ebiris> Acid starts eating through the creature's shoulder where it impacts, but it ignores this entirely to focus on tearing off parts of Shefton and stuffing gobbets of stinking meat into its gaping maw in a rapturous frenzy!
[18:17] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2
[18:17] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 and gets 17." [1d20=15]
[18:18] <@Henrietta> roll 1d3
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d3 and gets 3." [1d3=3]
[18:18] <@Ebiris> OOC: could roll init but why bother, it ain't resisting
[18:18] <Glenn> "...I hate this place," Glenn mutters as he continues to let Henrietta handle things.
[18:19] <@Ebiris> The zombie's flesh is melted further, exposing its innards where fresh pink and red pieces of Shefton are seen tumbling through its ribs amidst black and shrivelled organs, some even falling out to be scooped up again!
[18:19] * @Henrietta gives Glenn a dirty look as she continues to slowly melt the vile creature's head with her magic.
[18:19] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 and gets 5." [1d20=3]
[18:19] * Rudy fires a bolt at the zombie, blanching at the sight.
[18:19] <Rudy> roll 1d20+5
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+5 and gets 21." [1d20=16]
[18:19] <Rudy> roll 1d8+1
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d8+1 and gets 7." [1d8=6]
[18:19] <@Henrietta> roll 1d3
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d3 and gets 2." [1d3=2]
[18:20] <@Ebiris> This one actually misses, hitting Shefton's corpse instead, but Rudy's bolt finds its mark, thunking into the zombie's neck and causing it to abruptly collapse atop of the unkempt and mostly devoured guide. With it gone, silence falls over the group, only the dim sound of breaking water nearby...
[18:21] <Rudy> "I'm not asking anymore questions. I just don't want to know," states Rudy, turning back and squinting above in search of a likely thing to hook the grapple onto.
[18:21] <@Ebiris> The hook that the rope was originally tied to when you came down looks a likely candidate!
[18:22] <@Henrietta> "If only you hit it, I can try to breach the door!"
[18:22] <Rudy> "Eh, we'll get it eventually," replies Rudy, picking up the grappling hook and slinging it upwards!
[18:22] <Rudy> roll 1d20+1
[18:22] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+1 and gets 2." [1d20=1]
[18:23] <@Ebiris> Slipping on some of Shefton's blood, Rudy only manages to punt the hook straight at the wall!
[18:24] <Glenn> "Want me to give it a shot as well?" Glenn asks, hoping for something to focus on besides all the dead and smelly things down here.
[18:24] <Rudy> "I'll get it. I mean, it's not very aerodynamic, is it?" mutters Rudy, shaking his head and slinging it upwards again!
[18:24] <Rudy> roll 1d20+1 it just takes constant effort
[18:24] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+1 it just takes constant effort and gets 9." [1d20=8]
[18:24] <@Ebiris> That was a close one! The grapple actually managed to hit the hook but from the wrong angle so it bounced off rather than latching on.
[18:25] <Rudy> "See? See, it's closer! This is a skill that's worth learning," decides Rudy, having a third try.
[18:25] <Rudy> roll 1d20+1 I can keep doing this until the hook or me breaks
[18:25] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+1 I can keep doing this until the hook or me breaks and gets 8." [1d20=7]
[18:25] * @Henrietta looks hopefully at Rudy, as he is about to prove her father's words about the importance of always being prepared!
[18:25] <@Ebiris> Little bit too low, this time!
[18:25] <Rudy> OOC: infact, if possible I'll just take 10 on the attack roll <_<
[18:26] <@Ebiris> OOC: ordinarily no, but ok in this case. I'll just assume it took a bit of time to line up your shot and such
[18:26] * Rudy takes one last fling at the hook!
[18:27] <@Ebiris> Taking his time and and keeping his breathing level, Rudy lets fly with the shot of a lifetime! The hook sails up, glinting in the torchlight as it snags on securely behind the hook mounted on the rockface just below the trapdoor!
[18:27] <@Henrietta> "And now it's my part, again," Henrietta says, taking hold of the rope and slowly climbing up.
[18:27] <@Henrietta> OOC: Taking 10 on climb for 14
[18:28] <@Henrietta> OOC: For 13, but yes
[18:28] <@Ebiris> Going up is just as easy as going down, the rope making up for the slippery but rugged rocks to allow an easy climb upwards until Henrietta gets as high as she can just below the trapdoor. It looks a bit pitted from her earlier acid barrage, but no real damage has been done.
[18:30] * @Henrietta resolves to learn any of the actual magic her mother talked about, and then secures herself by tying the rope around her waist. Once she is reasonably certain that getting out of balance won't drop her on Rudy's head, she attempts to force the trapdoor to move.
[18:32] <@Ebiris> It's a tricky prospect to tie the rope around yourself while using the same rope to keep aloft, but a bit of careful maneuvering and bracing off the corner of the shaft gets the job done...
[18:32] <@Ebiris> OOC: strength check
[18:33] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+3
[18:33] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+3 and gets 14." [1d20=11]
[18:34] <@Ebiris> Ooof! It doesn't budge, although Henrietta must concede her leverage is pitiful in this position it still seems far heavier than it should be, given that Shefton was able to open it from above earlier, and didn't look to be the pinnacle of manliness.
[18:36] <@Henrietta> "I can take my time and push at it," Henrietta tells Rudy and Glenn below, "or I could try to do it faster by bashing a hole through it with my flail. It would probably be louder and might summon more of them, so unless you prefer it, I'll take the slower route."
[18:36] <@Henrietta> OOC: I'll take 20 for my strength check here for 23
[18:36] <Rudy> "They'll probably just keep eating Shelton, poor chap. Why don't they eat each other?"
[18:37] <Glenn> "They probably do when there's no choice, they just like their meal fresh, or close to it..." Glenn mutters.
[18:39] <@Ebiris> Henrietta slips quite a few times on the rock as she tries to brace herself to give it a proper lift, only her foresight of tying a rope keeping her from a nasty plummet down below - although every time it happens she can't help but feel the hook gets a little bit less steady. Still, despite giving it her all, the trapdoor completely refuses to budge - she swears she can feel different weight distributions depending on where she puts her hands when trying to lift, as if several heavy objects were placed atop it to keep it pinned down. But it's certain it won't open to her strength from this position no matter how she strains.
[18:41] * @Henrietta takes a deep breath, and then slams the flail into the trapdoor with all her strength just below one of those objects, bracing herself against the wall.
[18:41] <@Henrietta> roll 1d10+4
[18:41] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d10+4 and gets 12." [1d10=8]
[18:41] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[18:42] <@Henrietta> OOC: Oh, I need to roll to hit?
[18:42] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+4
[18:42] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+4 and gets 17." [1d20=13]
[18:42] <@Ebiris> OOC: oh, that was 1d10 not 1d20, yeah, in case you critfail
[18:42] <@Ebiris> The flail swings up and clangs off the trapdoor, giving it a noticable dent before the head whips back down off its striking impact!
[18:44] <@Henrietta> What can she do but try again? And hope for the best.
[18:44] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+4
[18:44] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+4 and gets 20." [1d20=16]
[18:44] <@Henrietta> roll 1d10+4
[18:44] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d10+4 and gets 13." [1d10=9]
[18:44] <@Ebiris> Another forcful dent is made, bashing through the corroded layer her acid put on its surface!
[18:47] * @Henrietta climbs down slowly. "This door is a more fearsome opponent than seven unholy abominations," she states, tugging on her rope to free it off the hook. "We simply must kill everything already dead here to escape."
[18:48] <Rudy> "No, we simply must find another exit to escape," replies Rudy, sighing, and starting to head back down the corridor, in search of a door he hasn't been through yet.
[18:48] <@Ebiris> OOC: going east or west?
[18:49] * Glenn sighs as well. "Well, if nothing else, that's two less zombies that are going to be bothering us along the way."
[18:49] <Rudy> OOC: Let's go east
[18:50] <@Henrietta> "Two down, two dozen to go?"
[18:52] <Glenn> "Let's hope it's less than that," Glenn replies with a grimace.