Lethal Reword 3: Lost Dice!

"Holy crap, this is spooky!" Athena whispered loudly in the darkness of the cave. The lanterns gave everything a weird sort of glow on the mist. The mist was especially fun, as she took wiiiiide steps just to see the holes that would place and the way it would come back to swallow up her foot.

Zombies! Real zombies! Athena was excited, but stayed quiet. She was going to sneak up on them!

Then a dude with a guitar totally ruined her moment.

Athena stood there scowling for a second, resting her hands on her hips. "HEY. You're not part of our party! Those were MY zombies!"

Not that the zombies were being particular about who they attacked when defending themselves. Athena side-stepped out of the way when an arm came swinging for her head. Grinning, she was reaching to pull out her sword - reaching, reaching... spinning in a circle trying to grab the hilt - Got it! Athena managed to pull it out halfway, and the force smashing a zombie in the nose as she left it up.

She laughed, looking up to see what she hit. "Haha! No brains for you!"
 
Ed took one look at the zombies and knew they were going to be a bit more ... difficult than the dummies. She became distracted by the arrival of someone else but then a movement from the corner of her eye forced her to pay attention again. One zombie lurched toward her but she stepped back and then swung the sword!

SCCHINNKK! The sharp edge easily loped off the zombie's head and the body, still reaching for her, suddenly fell over. She slammed the pommel of her sword into one zombie's face to force it back a bit, allowing her to get the space needed to properly swing the sword again. Another zombie hit the ground.

Edric felt something clamp around her ankle and then staggered backwards. A third zombie had fallen but was reaching her. She hit the wall and used the support to shake the hand off. "Get--off!" she muttered! She didn't want to become zombie food!
 
"Nrrrrgh!" The zombies expressed themselves, inefficiently attacking with slow, wide swings and rather worthless lunges. Being mindless didn't help them at all, and being slow doubled the deal. At least one of them trips over, struggling as hard as it can to get back up.

One of the zombies near the back seemed to be a little brighter than the rest... in a way. Tearing it's own head off, it gives a great lunge, chucking it as hard as he can towards Athena. None of the others seemed to be getting the same idea, however.

Two zombies set upon each other, biting and gnawing each other into paste with the same amount of stupidity normally attributed to heated C-Box arguments.
 
The zombie gripping Ed suddenly looses the arm it was using as the shoulder joint is ripped apart by Sulfur's claws. The druid falls to the cave floor as the bear rears up and brings a paw down breaking it's neck. The druid, staff in hand, continues to lie in the floor seemingly oblivious to the fight as the bear drags him so safety.
 
One minute Athena was laughing at the zombie, the next - smashed in the face with a zombie head! She screamed pretty loud as both she and the zombie head hit the floor rolling. After flinging it away without any damages to her face, she was overjoyed to find all that rolling had helped knock her sword out of it's scabbard.

"YES!" Grabbing the hilt, Athena clambered back to her feet with it. She was still trying to lift the other end in the air while she made a sharp turn and lobbed of the foot of another zombie.

"I've got you now! Feel the might sword of Athena!" Swish! She took off one's toe! Damn this thing was HEAVY.
 
Edric breathed a quick sigh of relief when she was able to shake that hand--er, the entire arm off! "Thank you, Mr.--Sir--Stuffy--Er, Bear!" she stammered, shaking her head to stop ranting.

She was moving forward to take care of more zombies, further into the mine when Athena bumped into her after being hit by that zombie head! Edric didn't fall but she did lose her grip on her sword and was forced to get down on her hands and knees to find it! Who would have thought it was so easy to lose a sword in the midst of falling zombies and eerie darkness?

The ranger looked up when Athena got up and began swinging her sword! She spotted her blade next to the smaller girl's feet but when she went to reach for it, she had to pull her hand back or risk having it trampled! She looked up again--ducked when Athena tottered closer.

"Athena, please have tea--er, be careful!" Oh crap, she was getting caught up in the moment again!
 
The druid got to his feet, pupils wide. “By the Kith of the ring moons and the sarder light of …. wazhisnehm.” He picked up his staff and slammed it into the ground between him and the closest zombie. “The undead shall die again.”

Gripping his staff in both hands to ran at the zombie pole-vaulting into the undead creature's stomach and with a sickening slurping sound passed strait through rolling on the ground covered in slime. The zombie moaned and folded in half its arms still trying to pull it towards Edric. Sulfur stomped the zombie's head into the cave floor and there was a crunching sound.

The gnome whirled round knocking the feet from under another zombie when he sat Athena. “Aaaah so the temptress leading these foul beasts has emerged. FLY MY PRETTIES!” He reached into his bag and took out a handful of mushrooms and threw them at Athena. They bounced off of her head distracting her. “Now funny tall creature run... I'll hold them back!” He smashed the knee of another zombie and them holding his staff like a spear charger the headless leader. “IN THE NAME OF …. WHATS HIS NAME!!!!!!”
 
[size=-2]
Esper was delighted when they went to the mines. However, there was a definite downside to people too worried and afraid to go into them. As if the cool darkness was a bad thing. Esper let out a puff of air from between her lips and proceeded down into the mines.

Their progress was halted, however, by zombies. Esper frowned and reached for her bow.

Nocking an arrow, Esper shot at one zombie's head, her tongue sticking out slightly as she concentrated. She could only hope the force of the shot would knock the head off or something to that effect.
[/size]​
 
Meanwhile, deeper in the mines, a man sits... bored. Glass of red liquid in his hand, reclining with on leg over the arm of his chair, he lazily observes the work of a great deal of skeletons working tirelessly to mine deeper into the mine. He finishes the glass of red liquid, looking longingly at it. Raising the glass, a skeleton dressed as a butler nearby fills the glass with a bottle...

The classy necromancer's name was Fros'siv. He was dressed in fine clothes unmarred by his environment. He was also a massive bat-creature. Long, oversized ears rise up from his head, and his half-lidded eyes look into the glass as he swirls it slowly. He sighs, leaning a cheek onto a waiting hand, the elbow resting on the opposite arm.

GM: Hey there Fro'siv! It's-

"Oui. I am aware." He states in a dispassionate tone.

GM: I'd just like to tell you that-

"I 'ave not, nor weell I ev-air care. Go away, oo vile creature." He gestures theatrically for the voice to leave him be.

GM: Well then!

The last of the zombies flailed helplessly as it's quite easily killed. Further down the caves, more zombies could be heard shambling around aimlessly...

When the players get there, they only see three zombies and a strange machine, spewing out green mist - powered by a chunk of organic-seeming, glowing solid ooze. A skeleton seems to be operating the machine, though it raises it's head up as the adventurers come forth... and gets this horrified expression on it's bony face, hops off the machine, and begins to flee. The zombies take the opposite approach, shambling towards the players!
 
Meanwhile, in a dark alley in the town.

The knife struck home in the chest area of the guy who had trapped her, and he went down with a thud, meanwhile she dodged the attacks of the second pursuer with feline grace and dexterity.

With the trapper out of the picture, Eileen could now leave the safety of the alley and run from the other attacker. It just wasn't possible to fight two at the same time for a stealth based character like herself. She WAS a very good escape artist though, even at low levels, and would make use of it as well as she could.

Maybe she could hide in the rocky area of the mine, especially if she could make it look like she went in. Twisting and turning through the streets the catgirl waited for an opportunity to get out of sight and blend in with the crowd. As she dodged a corner, and her would be killer briefly lost sight of her, she went into stealth mode and walked over the main street and into the mine area, she stopped at the NPC waiting there and picked his pocket (a piece of rope and a bland looking key), just for fun.

After that she snuck past him, leaving a trail only an observant eye could follow towards the stone floor of the mine. She then pulled herself up on the entrance, and made her getaway on the rocky bottom above it. She ran gleefully, looking back to see if the other guy had even managed to track her down yet, and as a result she didn't quite see where she ran.

With a surprised mew she stepped into air and fell down a chute, landing right in Fro'siv's lap, and spilling his wine as a result. Hopefully, this guy was kinder than he looked...
 
"Oomph!" The batlike man states, and the red liquid spills all over him... at least he was wearing black... the liquid smelled of... juice. Cranberry-grape, to be specific. The entire boss-room was quiet... skeletons equipped with mining materials stopping their work, turning to look at the intruder.

The batlike man reaches forward, grabbing her arm and holding her upon his lap. Meanwhile, he holds up his glass, one of the skeletons taking it as he inspects her. "Not vhat I vas ex-pec-teeng." He states, accented slightly... He wraps an arm around her, picking her up and standing, placing her down and letting her go. "...Oo seem to be fine." With a snap of his fingers, the spill was gone... a spellcaster.

The entire room is quiet for some time as skeletons stare, unspeaking - unmoving. "..Vell, oo'r part-ee 'as not come... I assume, zen, oo are by oo'rself..? Eet eez dan-gair-ous, oo know... zere are dark mages een zese mines..." He reaches into a breast pocket, pulling out a scroll. "...Oose zis. Eet weell take oo back to town..." He reaches up upon her cheek, inspecting her face with a soft smile, before letting go and offering her the scroll. "Eet would be a shame to see oo zombified an' undead. Be more care-fool wit oo'r steps next time, non...?"
 
Athena now had a rhythm to swinging her sword! Take a deep breath, drag the sword up to waist lever, spin in a circle, and slice things to pieces! The momentum of spinning helped her keep the massive thing up in the air long enough to do some REAL damage! Of course... getting all dizzy like that wasn't helping her stay in one place, nor avoid hitting other things. She was pretty sure that Elf had screamed at her once or twice. And luckily the gnome was actually shorter than she was.

"GOTCHA! Ha ha- WHOA!" There she went, losing her balance as she plowed through a line of zombies! Her sword went flying out of her hands to get itself lodged...somewhere... and Athena found herself thrown to the floor and skidding deeper in to the cave.

When she looked up there were handsomely dressed Skeletons. That thief that stole her fox. A biiiiiig bat guy.

Athena didn't know if she wanted charge for vengeance or give a fan girl squeal! CUTEST BOSS BATTLE EVER!

She sat up quickly, looking around at the place. "Crap! Where'd my sword go?!"
 
It was by sheer chance that Edric caught something shiny reflecting from the dim light in the mine in the corner of her eye. She crawled over to it and picked up ... at least twenty arrows! She grinned wide! Now they were talking!

Edric got up, slipping the arrows into her quiver, and put her sword back into its sheath as she notched her arrow just as Athena's sword went flying! "Athena!" She ran after her. A party getting split up was a bad idea! And she had no idea where that half-elven guy had gone!

Edric skidded to a stop when she came to the machine and the zombies started for them. But the one she was interested in ... was the fleeing skeleton! "Where do you think you're going?" she couldn't resist asking! She aimed CAREFULLY and let the arrow fly!

Then she was slinging her bow over her shoulder in one smooth movement as she slid her sword out and went charging for those zombies! Run. Stop. Slash. Kick out. Send one staggering back with an elbow in the face! It seemed Athena's warrior spirit was contagious!
 
Aromius stood on Sulfur back and pointed at the zombies. “THERE BE NO ROOM IN THIS UNDERWORLD FOR THE LIKES OF YOU..... HIPPIES!”

The bear charged forward and he waited until they were almost at the first zombie before he ran along his back and jumped stinging his staff in a two handed strike that caused the undead creature to crumple as the gnome rolled and jumped again landing on another's back and and climbing up to the beast's head and driving his knife into it eye.

“There she is again! The temptress.” pulling the knife free he ran at Athena and shoved his staff between her legs as she spun causing her to let her sword go and fall to ground while the staff twisted sending the gnome flying through the air and landing thud a thud in the chamber beyond.
 
Turning his head, Fro'siv's shoulders slumped. He got a dramatically sad expression on his face, raising his hand to touch is forehead. "An' now ze ack-too-all 'eroes are 'ere... an' I don' even get to do my drama-teeq speech... 'ow awful!"

GM: Your first boss battle! How exciting! What you have to remember is to-

"Stow eet, Beekin! Zair eez no need for oo to constant-lee prattle on about zis or zat... zey are not id-jits eef zey are zis far. Leave zem be!" At the silence that followed, he nodded with a happy smile, before looking at Athena. "Not quite vat I vas go-eeng for, but vell enough..."

Stepping forward, he bows theatrically... offering Athena a handsome smile. "Velcome to my lair. I 'ope oo are luckier zan oo seem... my skeletons and I 'ave been mining a vay out of 'ere for quite some time... I guess, 'ow-ev-air, zat oo weell be fighting me an' zem, non...? Zan please - 'elp oo'rself to my skeletal minions..." He snapped his fingers, and five of his mining skeletals walked up, crouched low and ready for battle against Athena. "Keep oo busy unteel oo'r friends arrive..."

Edric's arrow connects with the skeleton's ribcage... going right through, breaking off a rib - which didn't slow down the skeleton, still sprinting away. The zombies attempted to stop her progress... though, as usual, were completely ineffective. One did manage a bite against the elbow in it's face for a very, very small amount of damage to her.
 
Athena scrambled to her feet, blinking at the boss-guy! He was biiig and bowing and, so cute! He was a bat, of course, but he had those super adorable fox style face. There couldn't be a more adorable creature in the world! ...And she had to FIGHT him?!

"Um... Hold on a second!" she replied, turning and nearly running in to the skeleton that was prepared to fight her. THAT guy she can beat up! ...only, she didn't have her sword! You can't just walk up to a skeleton and start punching it!

"Eeek!" Doing the smart thing, Athena ran circles around the skeleton while she looked around for her sword. Aha! There it was! Stuck in some beam along the wall of the cave. Dashing across the room she grabbed it's hilt and tugged. TUGGED. TUGGED! Until it came free with a POP! The momentum had her stumbling backwards with the sword over her head until CRASH - she and sword landed right on that skeleton.

"Gotcha! Now I'm ready to fight!"
 
We looked at the bat creature, pupils dilated due to the mushrooms. “Oh hey Julez” he said with a casual wave before turning away and walking a few steps, they sudden;y he turned back “BLOODY HELL AND ALL THATS ….... here.... Its the thief! And...” his jaw dropped and to pointed..... what is....... THAT...... I'm seeing things... I'm....”[/color] his eyes rolled back and he fell backwayds.

The bear wandered in and gave the bat creature a look and licked the druid's face causing his to sputter and sit up. “Remind me to stay off the 'shrooms for a second I though I saw a giant french bat.”

“You might want to look again, I never had any shrooms and I'm seeing it too.”

“You're not trying to trick e are you? Not secretly working for that Beeking guy?”

Sulfur sighed, sounding like a bellows,”You could just look.”

“What if I don't want you to be right?”

The bear stood and picked Aronius up by his robes and turned him around ignoring his struggles.

“Put me down you good for nothing NPC bear, BLOODY UNGReatfu....... Oh!” there was a ripping sound and he gnome fell to the ground, minus the robe but he just sat there staring as the robe, having been let go by the bear fell around him again.
 
Fro'siv turns, eyebrow raising towards the now-nude gnome. Snapping his fingers, a good twenty skeletons begin to stalk his way, weapons ready to get him... and his little bear, too!

...Until dust and rocks began to fall from the ceiling.

"...Hnnn? Vait! Zat was a load-bear-eeng post!"

The beam that Athena pulled her sword from began to splinter... crack... and finally snap... as the mines began to collapse! The rocks continued to fall in the room - the rest of the mine unaffected, though those in the boos room began to take health damage as rocks fall upon them... and with a mighty rumble and the sound of crashing... everything went... black.

GM: Fools... Now you see the futility of it... wait... NO!

A light appears in the darkness of the room... bony hands shake the shoulders of those who had fallen unconscious in the cave-in... now surrounded by a rock, many skeletons work their best to keep the 'roof' on... Fro'siv himself shook Athena's shoulder. "...Please tell me oo are all okay...? Ze pill-air, eet seems, was not so strong... ve are trapped, for now..." He looks around, adjusting his glasses... before chuckling. "...A razzier... un-orth-o-dox vay to de-feet a boss, I admit..."
 
She was dead! Oh it was so painful! Lying there dead, fuzzy, in the blackness of nothing. Cold and alo- Wait. Someone was shaking her shoulder. Though her body felt heavy, kinda tinglie, and sluggish, she wasn't dead! That ceiling falling down must have clonked the wind out of her.

Athena opened her eyes, and the rock ceiling was a lot lower than she remembered it. For now, though, she was looking up at the fox-bat. "You saved us! You're not a badguy at all!" That was when she was sitting up enough so she could through her arms around his neck and hug him! Ooooh he was so cute! Almost better than her fox plushie - that has SO hasn't forgot about!
 
"Ugh...I feel like the roof just came down on my head..."

Eileen sat up straight behind a big boulder that most certainly had not been there earlier. She'd made herself scarce during the 'boss-fight', if you could call it that, and had watched all the proceedings from the corner of the room.

Eileen started to remember, the clouds slowly drifting from her mind as she envisioned what had happened. The sword, lodged in the woodwork, had been removed by that zealous little girl she'd stolen from earlier, and the beam had given way under the weight of the stone ceiling.

After that, most of it was gone. The catgirl looked over to where Athena lay, and again wondered about the true nature of this 'boss' if he was so kind to adventurers. He didn't seem like the usual NPC, and if he was a plot NPC, he was a decidedly odd one.

"She okay there?" Eileen said with her heavy voice while she looked around. "looks like we're shut in..."