Walk, don't repair! Post! Post! Post!

He's a squirrely one...

Post! Post! Post!

FYI - There are a couple of you that are "behind" of the furthest time stamp and separated from the main party. If you post, I will attempt to respond with a post of my own as quickly as possible to move you forward and catch you up.

Huzzah for the long weekend!

The miracles of Therassor never cease to amaze the warrior priest. I am truly blessed to be the vessel through which such power travels, Battle Lord, he acknowledges upon finishing the honor of healing his companions to the best of his meager ability. Feeling much better himself after Cedric's god's healing, Gib returns to his rented room and shoves aside the weariness that threatens to coax him back to bed. Doing his best to shorten the time to don his armor and gather together the gear he feels necessary to do battle with more of these beasts, the Priest of Therassor leaves behind his heavier and more cumbersome equipment. Armored, helmeted, with his shield on his arm and his sword in hand, Moreno makes his way back to the commons room to meet his allies and join in the fight to save others from such a fate as those poor pilgrims experienced.

"Are they well?" he queries the large Kazari as soon as the Silver Cat emerges from the cellar.

(OOC: Answer.)

"Good. Perhaps we can rely on them to tend to the corpses while we deliver more of the enemy to the Lands Beyond?" Turning from Ch'dau to Aranwen, Gib adds, "We best be about this, lest we find more corpses of the fresher fare."

More of that damnable fog hangs heavy in the street and Gib resists the urge to shudder, but just barely. Straining to determine his best guess as to the location of the laughter, the warrior priest picks up on the faint, yet discernable, unmistakable sounds of battle accompanied by the foul giggling.

"I believe it is this way," he points with his sword towards the sounds. "We must hurry!"

He hopes that they are not too late, and as they rush along, moving at the pace of their slowest member, the priest discusses strategy with his companions. Perhaps, this time, they will approach the battle in a more organized manner. Of course, a lot depends on what the field looks like when they arrive, but he trusts in Therassor and these companions have been able to weather the storms thus far...

Between the Parking Garage two blocks from the Upstairs Downstairs Inc. Building and the Upstairs Downstairs Inc. Building | Night City Integrate | Midcity | UrbanZone - March 9th, Day 3 (Sunday), 02:27 AM PST

Weather Conditions: High City (Thunderstorms, 15mph winds from the NE.) | Midcity (Rain, 10mph winds from the NE.) | Undercity (Fog and Rain, no winds.)

Air Quality Index: High City = 25 | Midcity = 42 | Undercity = 75 (masks required)

"You don’t have much time, Bloodbank. Don’t take the straight approach. Go around back. Copy? I repeat. Go around the back way. Casino will be here waiting for you."

It is hard to tell, what with the static and the city noise around him, but Bloodbank is pretty sure that is Vegas speaking.

"Alright, around back it is, then," he muses to himself as a hole in traffic opens long enough for him to splash across. Pulling the radio close to his mask, he calls back in a clear, but not too loud voice, "Copy. Don't wait for me if needs be. Getting in and out fast should definitely be the priority here."

Fast is certainly how he wants to do this; who knows how long until that mob boils over? How long after that until the streets were flooded with security, police, and innocents trying to escape the violence. Bloodbank feels a grimace adorn his face behind the mask. There just isn’t enough time. With that thought in mind, he pushes his way through the wet, wind-blown crowds, moving as quick as he can without drawing too much attention to himself. Hopefully, he'll be able to reach Casino and the building quickly.

(OOC: Keep reading below, Giddy.)

(OOC: March 9th, Day 3 - Sunday, Time is 02:35 AM PST)

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Outside the Upstairs Downstairs Inc. Building | Night City Integrate | Midcity | UrbanZone - March 9th, Day 3 (Sunday), 2:40 AM PST

Weather Conditions: High City (Thunderstorms, 15mph winds from the NE.) | Midcity (Rain, 10mph winds from the NE.) | Undercity (Fog and Rain, no winds.)

Air Quality Index: High City = 25 | Midcity = 42 | Undercity = 75 (masks required)

Vegas continues past Casino as the big man nods and makes his way up the ladder in pursuit of the others. Keeping an eye out for the street medic, Casino hears Ghlahn’s call about the riot and unconscionably finds himself nervously rubbing the trigger guard of the HK under his arm. Riots are never a good thing, though they did need a distraction, and this riot could work out for them. Just as quickly, it could turn ultra-violent and more out of control then it already was. For the moment all he can do is wait on Bloodbank to reach him.

Echo, like Vegas, is also annoyed at the prospect of a clean-up crew on it's way, and she knows they now have to move doubly quick to find the boy, methods be damned. She watches Blossom climb up to the waiting solo, and when she was safely on the the platform, Echo begins her own ascent. Taking Casino's offered hand of assistance, she meets the masked gaze of the tall man and gifts him with a warm smile that she hopes carries through her eyes as her lower face is masked by her balaclava, then continues up to the designated level, easily passing the pretty netrunner to take the lead. Once on what she calculates is the eighth floor, the nomad peers into the window, seeing a typical office building hallway lined with doors and a T intersection at the other end.

Not one to know much about methods of disabling security measures that she was sure were in place, Echo took up a guard position to cover those to whom the expertise lies, keeping watch both high and low for any to spoil their entry or call attention to them.

They stand on a platform approximately six meters wide and three meters deeps. The stairs continue on up from the far right and the window to the floor is on the left when they face the building. Through the window, they can see the hall beyond. It is carpeted with a blue and black tile patterned covering. The walls are plain white and there’s very little by way of decoration. They can see the doorways to various offices along the length of the hall and at the end it appears to break into a T intersection. There are no easily discernible security measures in place.

Reaching the 8th floor on the fire escape, Fixer carefully studies the window while Echo stands watch over them and Blossom performs her own work. He had half expected a door, but many highrises don’t like putting doors on the upper floors and instead use windows that can be opened in an emergency, and such is the case with this structure. In Fixer's mind, this qualifies as an emergency, so they will just have to open the window. He had spent a little time working for a security company, so he does his best to put that experience to good use and looks for clues about they type of protection they face.

Gray optically-spliced eyes scan the edges of the window and... yes, there it is. A motion based system to secure the window. He looks up at the others and offers up his new found information.  

"Ok, there is a security system here. There are two motion detectors. One is on the window itself, right at the bottom. The others is on the wall just below the window. If the window is opened the sensors move further apart and the alarm sounds. In addition, there is almost certainly a noise detection system. If the window is shattered, it will make noise which, again, will trigger the alarm."  

He stands up from where he has been crouching in his examination of the window. "Simple, right? We just need to be able to open the window without moving either sensor and barely making a sound."

Fixer really isn’t immediately sure about how to accomplish this. He needs a minute to think, to mentally review his available inventory of tools. It seems that nobody in the group has any better plans. Damn, Fixer hoped that someone would be better at breaking and entering then he is.  But, at least he knows some stuff.

"Ok, well, if nobody else has a plan, I'm going to get to work and try something. We can't sit around and wait." He pauses and looks around at the group to see if anyone is going to stop him. Nobody does.  

"Ok, let's start with this—if anyone has duct tape, hand it over. I have some, but the more the merrier. We are going to take this window one pane at a time. Step one is to tape the window as much as possible. This means every square inch of the darn thing. I'm then going to give it a little love tap in the corner, which will cause the thing to shatter into a thousand little granular beads of glass. That's what tempered glass does. The tape is to keep it from coming crashing down—if it does it will make noise and the noise-based alarm that is almost certainly inside will trigger. If it does, you can decide if you want to run or just shatter the window and go in with all possible speed." He again looks around him to see how they react to this possibility.

Blossom shrugs and rolls the sucker about in her mouth, its white stick looking like a dainty cigarette. Vegas arrives at about that time and presses his lips together while giving a slow nod.    

"Yes, it might happen,” the techie continues. “Assuming it works, we then very carefully remove the now shattered outer pane. Now there is only one pane to go—but remember, it has the motion sensor on it and has locks on each side. We tape like crazy around the motion sensor—that thing can't move on us or again, we are busted. Then, it is time for the torch."  Here, he holds up his cutting torch. "I'm not going to melt the whole damn window. That'll take too long and risk having the window shatter on us. But, it is the safest and quietest way to get a hole. Once we have a hole, we can use a glass cutter. We use tape to make sure things don't fall and gradually cut out pieces. I will need an extra set of hands for this part. Eventually, we can tape around the motion sensor on the inside as well to secure it. Then we cut out as much glass as we need to get in—trying to actually make our entrance away from the sensor." He grins.  "Simple, right? And if all goes well, we are in undetected."

He gathers together all of the tape that the group hands over and, once Blossom moves out of the way, begins taping, moving as quickly as possible but being careful to be very thorough in his application of tape—including taping well onto the surrounding window supports. The tape won’t help if all those bits of glass aren’t still hanging from something. All-in-all, taping the first pane takes him approximately three minutes. Pulling out his microtool and hammer, he can’t help but smile at the others and while his mouth is covered by the medical mask he wears to protect him from the poor air quality, his eyes twinkle with the wicked humor of the situation.  

"Buckle up folks. You are about to commit a felony. Either run now or get in position to stabilize that tape when the window goes." He then places a sharp piece of his microtool into the bottom right corner of the window and, taking a deep breath to hold steady, places a portion of his jacket over the end to reduce the noise, gives it a little whack.

Feeling, more than hearing, the tempered glass give with the corner pressure, the techie quickly moves to the upper right corner and repeats his action. Again, the glass gives way and he moves to each of the remaining corners to deliver the blow. Vegas is quick to assist in the removal of the taped remnants and just after the shattered pane is set aside, the Frank Sinatra look-alike drops a hand to Fixer’s shoulder and gives him an approving nod.

Now, Fixer is faced with the more delicate procedure. As with the initial pane, he must first carefully tape the glass about where he’s going to break it free while, this time, leaving the section with the sensor intact. He’s performed exacting work before and his cybernetics assist in making sure everything is precisely where he wants it. This takes a little longer than the last window to set up and, finishing the process, the grey-eyed tech mentally calls up the time, seeing that another five minutes have passed.

Meanwhile, the rest of the immediate team stands by and watches. Vegas switches between peering in through the window while it’s view is still unobstructed (imagining security walking into the long hall beyond and a huge, explosive gunfight concluding the event) and scanning the alley and adjacent building’s windows. Blossom keeps her eyes on the data packets she can trace moving between the City’s internet and the building’s smartcore. She’s looking for any increase in packet size and stream which will indicate a potential alert to outside services and so far, she hasn’t seen any.

A few flights of water dusted metal platforms and stairs below, Casino scans the alley and the adjacent building. Blank, dark windows are the fare across the way, but that doesn’t mean someone isn’t watching. With his visor-enhanced vision peering through the combat mask, the big man eventually sees Bloodbank appear at the end of the alley and start making his way towards the fire escape.

Walking quickly around an entire city block without drawing attention to oneself isn’t an easy thing. People mull about, mostly, slowly making their way to their destinations at this time of night. There’s very little urgency; it’s the weekend, after all. Most of the corporate drones are home with their families and factory workers have already started their shifts. This lot that the medtech has to contend with are streetwalkers, criminal elements, and night owls with nothing better to do. They have the time to sit and think about why someone is running through the dirty mist.

Arriving at the mouth of the alleyway, Bloodbank quickly scans the path ahead. Garbage, soaked through by the drizzle. A dumpster, massive and black in the poorly illuminated confines of the narrow street. The fire escape with the hulking figure of Casino shadowed against the lights of the street where the riot is building up… no other potential danger. Now, now the medtech can run.

Using the glass cutter, Fixer scores the area he wishes to cut free—the portion of the tempered glass with the sensor glued to it. The hope is that the tempered property of the surface doesn’t cause the pebbling effect now that the glass has been properly scored. This takes a couple of minutes of work, running that diamond-edged roller across the slick surface multiple times to ensure the groove is deep enough to catch the impact is like surgery.

Arriving at the space beneath the platform upon which Casino waits, Bloodbank begins to scale the dangling chord. He slips a couple of times, but is finally able to reach a point where the newly-masked solo can help hoist him over the railing. Casino gathers his cable up again, attaching it to his bracer where the mechanism immediately begins to coil its length.

Finally ready to repeat the shattering process on this pane, Fixer moves his tools to the first corner and takes a deep breath before giving the back of the multitool a solid tap with his hammer, once again using the edge of his jacket as a buffer to silence the metal on metal clang. No cracks appear in the sensor area of the glass, so the techie continues. No cracks after the second corner… none after the third… none after the fourth… none just above the sensor area. The scoring did its job. Pushing against the taped pane, Fixer feels it gently snap away from the remaining glass bearing the sensor, and Vegas once again helps move the trapped crumble of tempered glass away from the opening as the hall beyond is infiltrated by the sounds of the city for the first time in a very long time (most likely).

With the cable now coiled, Casino and Bloodbank make their way up the fire escape as quickly as possible without causing the clapping of booted feet on steel to raise an alert.

Soft glowing overhead lights illuminate the carpeted hall, the misty rain from the edgerunner’s position already dampening the blue fabric just inside the building. A closed door is ahead and on the right by about nine to ten meters away, and just beyond that, the hall jags a little to the left before continuing on into what looks like more open spaces.

Utilizing his enhanced vision, Vegas peers down the entire length of hall, his hand on his Mark II with the weapon still in its holster.

Turning to his companions, the crooner holds a finger to his lips and then carefully steps over the window sill, lifting his overcoat like skirts to avoid it scraping the remaining glass and sensor. Now inside the building, the solo steps aside and turns to help the next person through.

(OOC: Each of you need to make a Stealth roll entering the building. Feel free to also roll for Combat Sense and/or Awareness/Notice if you’d like to have your characters perform such actions and if you have the skills. Those of you who don’t have Stealth will need to just add your DEX to a 1d10 roll.)

As the last of the group who had witnessed the marvel of Fixer’s handiwork enter, Bloodbank and Casino quietly emerge onto the platform and join their companions.

(OOC: March 9th, Day 3 - Sunday, Time is 03:03 AM PST)

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Near the Parking Garage two blocks from the Upstairs Downstairs Inc. Building | Night City Integrate | Midcity | UrbanZone - March 9th, Day 3 (Sunday), 02:27 AM PST

Weather Conditions: High City (Thunderstorms, 15mph winds from the NE.) | Midcity (Rain, 10mph winds from the NE.) | Undercity (Fog and Rain, no winds.)

Air Quality Index: High City = 25 | Midcity = 42 | Undercity = 75 (masks required)

Ghlahn watches as the crowd becomes increasingly agitated and moves towards the building next to the garage. No way it is going to end peacefully. Even the guard in the building seems to understand that something bad is in the works and is scanning the crowd that’s rapidly approaching the doors. Surely, he will call for backup soon if he hasn’t already. On the plus side, all this might keep anyone from watching the garage.

Taking a calculated risk, Ghlahn ducks back into the crowd and begins to slip through them to the alley the group had just emerged from. Chain link fencing covers the gaps between the cement levels and pillars. It isn’t a difficult climb and soon, Ghlahn finds himself hanging from a chain link spacer four stories up. This is the level he can keep an eye on the crowd and maybe his companions from. There’s a small gap at the top of the fencing, between the underside of the next level and the sharp, pointy ends of the obstacle, but other than that, the only way through will be to cut.

(OOC: March 9th, Day 3 - Sunday, Time is 02:32 AM PST)

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the Long Mile Fueling Station | SanFran Integrate | Midcity | UrbanZone - March 9th, Day 3 (Sunday), 1:31 AM PST --- Weather Conditions: High City (heavy rain, 20mph winds from the N.) | Midcity (light rain, 10mph winds from the N.) | Undercity (fog and drizzle, no winds.)

Air Quality Index: High City = 15 | Midcity = 36 | Undercity = 86 (masks required - Red warning)

“We’re coming up on your destination,” the pilot’s call rather abruptly interrupts Luther’s studies, drawing his attention to the windows and what lies beyond.

Kaleidoscope colors blur past the rain-soaked glass, streaking and running in lines with the patterns of the wind-swept water. Somewhere along the trip the fixer became subconsciously aware of the van-shaped aerodyne hitting heavier winds and now he fully registers the effects. He’s missed the view of the Bridge, but then, all of the new structure is covered in suspension buildings so there’s really not much to see. He’s also missed the descent through the SanFran Central Hub and all of the traffic involved in that endeavor. Now, the AV is nearing what appears to be an opening in an air shaft that is also lined with suspension structures.

As he watches, they engage in the merging process with the other air vehicles making their way through the gaping maw in the side of the tunnel and the scene rolls out before him revealing a well-planned yet chaotic-looking array of prefab and AI constructed buildings. Here, the winds aren’t as strong and the shuddering of the vehicle is less pronounced. Another couple of minutes and a large platform is born in his eyes approximately twenty stories below with the flickering holographic image of a road passing by and various scenic objects like trees, boulders, etc. passing with it. Words hover above it, “The Long Mile” and below it are the words, “Fueling Station.”

Cred Stick Charlie is taken through this holographic image—right through the center of it—by the taxi as it lands. The doors remain closed with touchdown and his agent notifies him that his bill is 2,010 NCDs or credits plus gratuity (15 NCD/mile at 134 miles). Life isn’t cheap when you take luxuries.

Reaching for his Icon America Black Phantom of the Opera Skinmask w/ air filtration, he sets it on his lap as he watches his decent.

Great Grandfather, your city is still standing and great, Luther thinks to himself, his Great Grandfather was from the old cities to the east; “East Bay” is what others would call it, but to Luther, this was almost like being home. Great Grandfather was, of course, no longer alive but the memory for him lives in his heart.

Opening his Icon America black leather armored jacket, he reaches for his “chopped” cred stick to transfer his monies. Grunting to himself, Luther realizes that he had failed to reload this credit stick to the max, or maybe he had bought something frivolous when chasing some skirt to make a contact, nevertheless, It looks like Charlie is going to... acquire some of his alter ego’s credits.

Damn, I can’t believe that I was caught slipping (Blackfolk talk), he mentally chastises, You know better than that, Mr Charlie... today, you might only lose two hundred, but what if...

A soft chime brings him out of his own little world, “Yeah, nice job. One of the best flights that I’ve had in a long time, my friend,” Cred Stick Charlie smiles with his trademark, infectious grin. Donning his mask, he initiates the transfer from a “chopped” credit chip to the sum of 2211.00, the 10% is for the working man.

Luther is a working man but if he could “stiff the corp, megacorp, or neocorp,” it was “on and crackin” (more Blackfolk). Luther doesn’t believe in sticking it to those that have a family and are wage slaves.

The transfer of 2010 finishes and Luther uses a different cred chip for the gratuity, which is 201.00. After the doors open, he turns to signal to AV driver.

"Vaya con Dios" (Go with God, Spanish translation) he declares with a wave and more of that infectious smile. Turning his back to the V/Stol fans that are creating “prop wash,” as his grandfather would say, Luther avoids much of the swirling maelstrom of nasty wet that’s raised as the vehicle takes flight.

Unfamiliar with his surroundings, and more than a little harried, the fixer immediately makes his way over to the fueling station’s building. He still has a little while before his contact, Fluke, is supposed to arrive with the air jeep, so the well-dressed man ducks inside the establishment and scans the layout, searching for a place to do some work.

As with most waystations along the massive string of freeways stretching across California, the Long Mile caters to those who are on a journey, like freight truckers who still deign to brave the wilds, nomads, and corporate families making road trips. There are three fast food restaurants inside, but only one is still open… McDee’s. In the back, there will be coffins, even a few showers and some laundry services, but the best place to sit will be in the restaurant.

(OOC: Is Luther going to sit outside on one of the benches under the building’s awning, or stay in the building, grab some grub, and wait with a view of the parking lot?)

(OOC: March 9th, Day 3 - Sunday, Time is 1:40 AM PST)

Then I shall take the DM's caution and call it good. I'll post soon.

Can't have the fighters wounded still, so Gib will use up 2nd level slots too. I'll try my best to get a post in place ASAP. I was waiting for everything in this thread to be resolved.

Sounds like a plan! You need to make a Jury Rig check for the initial window and then another for the second window. The first window will take about three minutes, working fast. The second window will be longer as there is more precision necessary in order to not set off the alarms (imagined or actual). So, the second window will take about six to ten minutes. You will also need two Stealth checks.

Update: I went ahead and rolled for you, Nomad, just so I could use the time I have now to update the game. The results are both bad and good.

Fixer jury rigs the crap outta it!

First roll to set up and break through the initial pane of the window:

Fixer: To Jury Rig: 23 (rolled an exploding 10 so we roll another 1d10 and add it to the total of 23...)
rolling 1d10 + 23 = (1)+23 = 24 (failure, but the first roll counts so this 1 isn't a bad thing.)

Second roll is for Stealth, using 4 LUCK to make it work since Fixer isn't a stealthy dude.
rolling 1d10 + 9 = (4)+9 = 13 

Here's the set up and break through of the second pane of the window:

Fixer jury rigs the crap outta it!

Fixer: To Jury Rig: 16 (rolled a 3)

Stealth check for the second pane...
rolling 1d10 + 10 = (1)+10 = 11
That was for the Stealth check on the second pane. Complete and utter failure... I'm going to use Creative Currency (6 since this is a major event) to reroll.
rolling 1d10 + 10 = (10)+10 = 20
That's better... an exploding 10!
rolling 1d10 + 20 (10)+20 = 30
Another exploding 10!
rolling 1d10 + 30 (9)+30 = 39
39 is the final result for Stealth on the inner pane.

The game has been updated!

There's a map of the building that you can check out on Roll20: CLICK HERE!

Bullet points! Huzzah! I'm going to jump on this bandwagon because... BULLET POINTS!

1) Heal. - Most DEFINITELY yes.
2) Equip armor - Most DEFINITELY yes.
3) Check on Nya, Davena, etc. - Gib will concur with whatever the party wants to do, but his more immediate concern is the welfare of the city on the whole and he'll advise as much if presented with the opportunity, saying that once they secure the city, they can take a head count.
4) Eol had mentioned dragging undead bodies outside to burn them, Brom has concurred.  With sixteen bodies, this will take a little time.  Do this before or after pursuing other gigglers/aiding the town watch? - Gib doesn't know how long it will take for people killed by the ghoul to return as a ghoul (does he?) and he doesn't want to take any chances. If possible, get any by-standers involved so that the non-combatants are taking care of that sad yet necessary work and the fighting types can focus on the fighting. Again, Gib will go along with the party, but he will advise on what I just described.
5) A comment at one point had asked me about Mort (the Innkeeper).  Do you intend to check on him before you leave?  - Again, a headcount can be performed after the security of the common folk is resolved.
6) Search and destroy gigglers/assist town watch. - Yes! Whatever occurs first. If the party happens upon the gigglers first, then engaging them and keeping them from killing others is paramount.
7) Find the mage contact, late hour be damned. - This is something he'll press for as Gib still doesn't know why the gigglers entered the town, let alone attacked the inn specifically when there are likely plenty of buildings between the gates and the inn. Not to mention, he'd like to know what religious resources are available in the city and whether the local cemetery is the source for the zombies, or if they were brought into the city with the ghouls.

He only made four at that time. One for each of the three who would be taking up support positions around the mallplex and one for the group going inside.

There are still agents for those of you who have them, and through the Dark Web's portal site where you were all originally hired, you can pass messages as in-site emails. I don't recall any of you sharing your personal agent numbers with each other except Vegas with Charlie, so that may be the only way to communicate.

I get his stuff!

Hopefully, he comes around.

Glad to have you back!

Giddy, there are four walkie-talkies. Ghlahn, Casino, Fixer, and Charlie each had one. Bloodbank just pocketed the one Ghlahn had and seeing as how there wasn't any, "Hey! Give that back!" from Ghlahn, the sniper is now left to his own technologies to communicate with the rest of the group. This is why the walkie-talkie is on the sheet.

Looking for Nomad to add another post with the new information he has and then I'll move things forward!

we got beat up by a bunch of zombies and a giggler. Two gigglers are likely going to be a bit of a challenge unless we can find something to give us the advantage.

Strategically, Gib isn't a fan of going out after the ghouls and losing what little advantage their position within the inn might provide but he also wouldn't allow the townspeople to become turned just for the sake of a strategic advantage. When all is said and done concerning the healing (of which, Gib will be adamantly insistent that the front line fighters receive the full complement), he will advise Aranwen that they...

1. should do all that they can to assist the city's official guard in the destruction of these creatures before more show up, perhaps seeking out the captain or commander as quickly as possible,


2. and with the apparent turning of the pilgrim, the bodies of the dead should be burned with immediacy,


3. the party should seek out their contact as soon as the threat is put to rest and not wait until morning as morning might be too late (the pilgrim was from the road which would indicate that the city's defenses have been breached; the creatures were first attacking the pilgrims on the road outside of the city and they've now moved inside the city, focusing their attack on the inn—what was their objective? Was it the party? Doubtful. Where's the woman and her bodyguard? Are they the target? The cause?).

Pursue? As in, leave the Inn and go rushing into the night? Seems like a bad idea... like a 90's to early 2000's horror movie... I'm in! But, yes, fully armored first.

Good speculation and thanks for participating, Keeper and Nomad. Nomad, I've answered your PMs.

Giddy and Aletheia still need to post.

Unholy sickness and the feeling of utter hopelessness that stiffens the very center of his being drains slowly from his body. He is living the nightmare still; the sinking teeth into his flesh, the hunger in that creature's eyes... he shudders -- did he really shudder or was his body still unresponsive? No, he's sure his body is coming around, he can feel the bite, the bruises, the pain.

Groaning, he draws in a shuddering breath. 

"Tha -- than -- thank you," he forces out already aware that he only survived because of his friends. Clenching his fist repeatedly, the warrior priest works the blood back into his extremities and rights himself gazing about at the carnage surrounding them. 

"Please tell me that I am imagining that gods-forsaken laughter," he practically groans.

(OOC: Anyone? Beuller?)

His body still protests the pain and he winces as he moves to assess the condition of his companions. The warriors have certainly done their job in keeping the wizards safe but the cost is heavy. Judging by the pain he's in, he can imagine that everyone is feeling more than a little undone. 

"We've Therassor to thank for the strength we managed this night, friends," he grinds the words out through his suffering. "If you come near, I shall plead with the Battle Lord to grant us more favors. And then... well, then it sounds as though we will be needing to don our armor for the night is not over."

* Cough cough *

Go... on... without... me...

If there's ever been a time for a miracle, it is now. Gib will cast as many Cure Light Wounds as Therassor will allow or until all are healed, attending to his own wounds last.

Well, that Lance Card guy is no Robert McBroom... and, he's trouble.

Huzzah for the update!

I only have three players who have posted thus far. Need more.

Keeper, I never sent you the PM. I'll remedy that now.

Love the art, my friend.

I hate it when battles pause right in the middle of the action... it makes me anxious. 

Thank you for the clarifications, O' Mighty Dungeon Master.

I am very glad you had second thoughts about the blaze, Eol. And, I have posted.

Grimacing through each splattering of gore resulting from a stroke of the sword, the warrior priest of Therassor, God of Righteous Battle, does his best to keep an eye on the rest of their confined battleground without causing him a disadvantage in his engagement. Distinctly aware that the press of undead seems to be unended with unknown throngs remaining outside, he wonders how long he and his companion's strength will hold and just how many of the foul necromantic denizens remain. 

"If we can funnel them through a single entrance, we stand a better chance," Kith's call rings out from the other side of the commons room where she is supporting Ch'dau's efforts. "Perhaps we can cut through the first of them and use the tables as barricades to redirect the others."

"Grand idea," Gib replies with as light a tone as he can muster. "Perhaps you and Cedric can see to the task?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Priest Moreno Enderedre catches sight of his fearless leader dancing into the buzzing and clicking insects that Midge has summoned in his effort to destroy those zombies pushing past the conjured wall of biting and stinging things. As stoic as the Sylvari is, the cleric catches grunts of pain and knows that his friend is suffering for his bravery. 

"On second thought," Gib loudly growls, "Cedric, please see to Aranwen! Atharis, assist Kith!"

And then, a swift form dashes through the swarm. Cackling maniacally another of the paralysis-inducing creatures from the road—looking quite freshly dead and wearing the tattered robes of sky blue that had been the garb of the pilgrims they had left earlier that day—joins the fray.

"By the blood!" Gib curses. Zombies have begun to fill the commons room and now they have this foul beast to contend with. "Back to the stairs! Retreat to the stairs!

"Midge and Atharis, to the very back, Cedric and Kith, defend their position, Aranwen and Ch'dau take the front and I shall support you two from behind!" 

It is the only way he can see that they might prevail. With the clerics in a support position to the warriors, the gods might smile upon them with a miracle or two keeping the big cat and the bladesinger alive while the little rogue can hopefully assist and protect the wizards in their casting and all within a narrow gap limiting the number of shamblers that could access them, preventing a flanking advantage to the enemy, and allowing the party to deal with these beasts in a more organized manner. The only unknown in the warrior priest's mind is the cackling creature and just what it is capable of.

Knowing he is not the leader of the party but hoping that his advice in the past has been enough to lend credence to his hasty suggestions, Gib begins his tactical retreat to take up his prescribed position on the stairs.

Is the blue robes that the giggling cackling thing wearing matching the pilgrims or matching our wizards who are part of the enclave?