Great storytelling!

I once had a paladin who unwittingly was conned into helping a thieves guild perform some pretty heinous deeds. One of the funner aspects of playing that character was the trials to regain his honor and his deity's favor. Which he did... posthumously. Let's hope that this is not the case for our brave leader. 

.

.

I just heard back from Espatier. He has committed to a post before this weekend. 

I think you were teasing...

I sent another email to Espatier and called and left a message for Giddy. If I don't hear back by Friday, I'll put this up to vote.

Why I oughtta...

I have to admit that I long to destroy the whole of this place and all the enemy within it in the righteous name of Therassor!

Gib will take no pleasure in killing Garn and Davena, but he will have satisfaction.

Satisfaction or death! 

That doesn't sound very bad @ss...

Garn wasn't a well-known companion but his betrayal was sickening nonetheless. Huffing his frustration, Gib moves immediately to the position Aranwen has commanded and readies himself for the onslaught. At the first sight of the ghouls (OOC: if there's time without risking injury), he squares up and bellows, "By the might of the Just Commander, even Therassor the Righteous General, I command you, BEGONE!"

Those fell denizens that resist his limited ability to channel divine commands are met with sword and shield. Furiously intent on ending their existence fuels his sore muscles. Righteous anger at their betrayal and the horrors he imagines Kith is experiencing sharpen his focus.

"Stay the line!" he calls, mostly to Ch'dau, well aware of his friend's rage. "Garn will receive his punishment soon enough."

The obvious connection between Garn's affiliation and Davena isn't lost on the warrior-priest. Somewhere deep in his soul, he knows that she is a part of this horrendous hive, but his good heart cannot readily accept that she is truly still aligned with that treacherous warrior. He hopes, but the hope is a fragile and thin pane of rose-colored glass that he has no doubt will be soon enough be shattered.

I get caught in a hellish meeting at work and return to the Inn for a hellish reading! What gives!?

Well... Olan did mention Charge of the Light Brigade which is my favorite poem of all time. If Gib dies in the attempt to put down an unholy place dedicated to the God of Death while trying to save a friend; that's a good death.

I'll attempt to post tomorrow.

I just need to hear from Espatier and Giddy. If I don't get word from them within the next couple of days, I'll put it to a vote as to whether we move on without them.

Don't tease!

Grimacing, Gib rolls his shoulders and follows Ch'dau into the chamber. Desperately wishing they had more time to utilize caution and strategy in their approach, he hefts his shield in a defensive posture and keeps his sword at the ready. Head swiveling from side to side, the warrior-priest of Therassor keeps his moss-colored eyes peeled for the pending ambush. That their enemy is unaware of the party's knowing they are near is too much to hope for, Gib doesn't even pretend at ignorance. Walking on the balls of his booted feet, he maintains his balance, ready to spring into action as soon as the opportunity presents itself. 

"Do not get too far ahead, Ch'dau," he cautions as they move into the room as closely as the entrance allows. "What's coming will require working together as much as ever before."

OK. You can all rest comfortably knowing Gib will share the general location and such.

Me too, Breebles!

The Detect Evil spell has a 10-foot wide detection path. That should at least help us figure out where the general location of the evil resides, right?

I have daughters who behave like Kith.

Another few rounds of delay, but this may be the best option to put our concerns at ease before continuing. We are no good to our Kithy if we are Ghouls ourselves!

I'm getting the impression that the show has been canceled. Freakin' FOX!!!

All right. I'm back in full swing. Even before I left on vacation, we were struggling to get posts up. Who's interested in continuing this game. If we are interested in continuing, I need a post from Espatier at the very least. I'd love one from you, Giddy, as well but I know you're still fairly swamped with work.

Please sound off and let me know if you're interested in continuing.

I'm back in full swing again. Just an FYI.

Narrowing his eyes at the eerie lights, Gib finally sees what Ch'dau is referring to. Curious, he wonders while immediately diving back into his education to see if he can recall anything that would be helpful. Nothing...

"There are no traps ahead, as the Battle Lord has not shared with me such visions," the priest informs the group in a quiet bass. "But there is potentially more that I can ask of the Mighty General."

Holding his sword aloft, Moreno presents the holy symbol emblazoned upon the crossbar and firmly prays, "Honored General, god of Courage and Battle, your servant asks for the gift of discernment. Grant that I may know what evils lie in my path for your glory and victory in your name!"

(OOC: casting Detect Evil.)

Verdigris eyes flash silver for a heartbeat. Therassor's divine power seeps into the forest green of Moreno Enderedre's irises lacing them with dancing tendrils of his god's favored color. Focusing on the left side of the chamber before them, Gib concentrates, mentally seeking any confirmation of the evil that undead will emanate. After enough time has passed, he turns his attention to the adjacent space until the whole of the chamber is covered.

--------------

"Why doesn't our lord god's favor allow us to determine the presence of a person of evil intent?" Gib looks up from his scriptures, the soft Ertainian winds rustling his coal-black hair.

"Do not attempt to put the power of Therassor in a box, Acolyte," Captain Faelsian chides. "A person devoted to evil develops much more of an affinity for evil the longer they seep their soul in it. The prayer you study this day will reveal individuals who have devoted their whole souls to evil for a great deal of time, but most aren't quite that dedicated.

"You'll find this prayer more useful in situations where you suspect true evil waits in ambush upon your field of battle."

Moreno furrows his brow and considers the implications. Next to him, Acolyte Stehvans shifts his prayer book on the small wooden stand set at his knees. "Like in the Battle at Indigo River?"

"Yes," their instructor points a crooked finger at the boy from Targos, "exactly like at that battle. Would you care to elaborate, Acolyte?"

"Thank you, Captain," Stehvans shifts his stubby legs and rises to his feet. Gib knows him to be an awkward boy and looking at him now in the spring's pale afternoon sun, he wonders how he's going to fare fighting for the glory of the God of Righteous Battle. "Brother Lieutenant Samas Ethrigal, in service with the Thundering Stallions brigade, came across a sentry who was lookin' a bit confused. The sentry had thought he'd seen some movement in the deeper shadows of the night but there had been some time passed since and he'd seen nothin' for the first sighting. His hackles were up, though. He couldn' shake the feelin' that somethin' was right under his nose. 

"Brother Lieutenant couldn't see nothin' but he weren't about to leave the field untested. He prayed to the Mighty General this prayer and sure 'nuff, he was gifted with the Sight. He seen—"

"Detected, Acolyte," Captain Faelsian corrects with a note of dissatisfaction in his voice. "Detected. Make no mistake, soldiers. You'll not see the evil which Therassor grants you knowledge. You'll sense it, feel its existence."

"Yes, sir, Captain," Stehvans swallows and attempts to regain his place in his story. "Well, uh, the Brother Lieutenant, he, uh, detects a great deal of evil. He was able t' give warning that saved the Thundering Stallions from an ambush by a priestess of  Sharlys." Spitting his disdain for the goddess of pain, the acolyte awaits permission to sit again while standing at attention.

Captain Faelsian rolls his jaw as he walks right up to the chubby young man. The priest's pointed beard nearly touches Stehvans' nose when he stops. 

"You will never again show such disregard for the powers of any god or goddess, Acolyte," he snarls. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

Frowning, Gib seeks to draw attention away from his poor friend and retemper their instructor. "I remember the tale, sir. Were these not just zombies that were detected hidden by some kind of darkness? Why were they detected? They are mindless creatures, are they not?"

Still staring the quivering Stehvans down, Captain Faelsian waits a handful of heartbeats before turning towards the bearded questioner. "Undead are directly connected to the Negative Plane—a subject of study for priests of much higher rank than you lot—and are thusly innately attuned to Evil."

Nodding, Gib turns his attention back to his book and pulls the quill from the plain, copper inkwell set in his portable writing desk. In the margins he writes, Undead will always be detected through Therassor's Power granted by this prayer.

I've posted. It isn't my best but it's there. 

Moreno studies the room and their options with a critical eye, acknowledging Aranwen's statement with a nod of his helmeted head. He is reticent to face a potential dead end at an iron gate, or overwhelming reinforcements that the fleeing cleric may collect. Well aware of the press for time they are under, the warrior priest draws in a deep breath, "We should at least check beyond the door. Leave no enemy at our back if possible."

I don't know that in-game or characters have much time to consult with one another. The plan was laid out before owning the door, so if our crazy Kazari is going to deviate by charging through the door instead of taking out the zombies ad they come through, Gib will yell out to stick with the plan then do what he's forced to do to keep friends alive. 

Offensive: fire his crossbow into a zombie (or the priest if a clear shot presents itself), cast aside the crossbow and go back to sword and shield. Doing his best to keep from being flanked while relying on Midge and Cedric to handle the priest with their spells.

Defensive: make sure that his companions are safe in the hall, fight defensively until they can close the door and regroup. 

Alternative plan: if Ch'dau is taking up all of the melee combat space at the door, cast Spiritual Hammer and use it to brow beat the priest.

I had envisioned a different set up before opening ther door. My apologies. Would you mind giving me a description of the scene including positions of characters and dimensions?