Sparrow watched the other move down the corridor. All seemed to be going well; until it didn't. Suddenly the dead rat-men began to rise once more as some form of zombie. Not waiting to see what other surprises lay in store, Sparrow launched her arrows at the nearest rat-zombie. "Bad rat, stay dead!"

As the Burst of Green Energy pulsated and flowed to the Frozen Dead, the Ye' Cind Flute suddenly appeared from its hiding place inside Finarsil's right bracer.

Instead of playing a Rally Tune to inspire her comrades, the High Elf Bard chose to play a short tune to protect herself with a Fire Shield, before facing the Dead Foes with Dark Reaver, after the Flute returned to its hiding place!

Info for Lurkers (Not for DM)
(A) Fire Shield 1/day the flute will cast Fire Shield on the wearer (1 seg)
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 2 rds. + 1 rd/level
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: The caster
Saving Throw: None
A warm shield that protects against cold-based attacks, it returns damage to creatures making physical attacks against the caster. When casting this spell, the person appears to immolate himself, but the flames are thin and wispy, shedding no heat, and giving light equal to only half the illumination of a normal torch The special powers of the shield are as follows: The flames are warm to the touch. Any cold-based attacks are saved against with a +2 bonus; either half normal damage or no damage is sustained. There is no bonus against fire-based attacks, but if the wizard fails to make the required saving throw (if any) against them, he sustains double normal damage.

(B) Dark Reaver Long Sword (Dark Reaver) +3/+6 vs Undead, Blade glows blue when within 60 feet of undead.

"Green energy travels across the ground towards you and down the hall, no way to avoid it. As the energy touches the ratmen, they begin to move and stare to stand. The frozen dead suddenly burst from their ice sheaths and move as well, like warriors wearing ice armour."
Odyson called to the Bard. "Me can sing good too."

He stretched out his arms and with these words the Shaman willed the power of Mother Earth to the turn the undead now moving toward them.

"The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And icy ghouls from frost tombs
Are closing in to seal our doom
And though they fight to stay alive
Their body starts to shiver
For no mere undead can resist
The power of the healer."

"Bollocks!" he says, as he quickly recovers from the overwhelming revelation of evil in every direction he looks.

"Whatever you do, Don't let'em touch you!" he says referring to the Ice skeletons. "They're glowing with negative plane energy!"

Not afraid Per se, but cautious he quickly backs away and joins those with ranged weapons. He begrudingly puts away Har'ard and pulls out Nurakas. Keeping his shield out as a prop and ready to bash, He fire bolt after bolt as he his able. "Bollocks...Good bye..The dead should stay dead..." he exclaims with each attack, doing his damnedest to take down all he can while trying to keep a safe distance.

He also Blows his horn for it's prayer effect, "need some positivity right about now!"

Undead abominations lurched toward them with inexorable determination as the fetid stench of death began to fill the air. Each step they took brought flame to a uniquely elven rage. Lun's eyes blazed with that fury as she faced the undead horde.

There was no hesitation, only action. Throwing her head back, the priestess let loose an unearthly wail. Wordless and deep, her divine call echoed around her as the essence of Sehanine Moonbow flowed through her and out into the undead ranks.

((OOC: Turn Undead))

Jarenion saw the bolt of green magic pass by the party on its way down the tunnel. He was not happy to see the ice melt and the rats rise, but couldn't help but think that somehow they had been lucky - that bolt could easily have been meant for them instead of those already dead.

As his companions in the large cavern responded to the renewed threat of the were-rats, Jarenion made a quick decision and called out to them, "Everybody into the tunnel! That is a lot of zombies to kill twice!"

Even as he said it he could not help thinking to himself, "or three times. Or Four. I bet that bolt would keep coming."

****Assuming the group follows his direction and backs into the tunnel, the mage will block the entrance with a wall of fire.

Try as they might, it would seem that the party would be unable to avoid traps, ambush, and deception. Indeed, it would seem that someone had thrown these ratmen to their deaths with the sole purpose of reusing them as so much canon fodder. Even in undeath, they should be no great threat... but they would continue to soak the spells and blows of the companions, and might score a lucky hit.

Arien had a terrible feeling that the enemy could afford to throw a vast array of attackers at the companions, while they themselves might slowly fall to attrition.

The knight shook his head to clear the maudlin thoughts. "Defensive formation!" he called. "They come on two fronts!"

For now, Arien would focus on the undead ratmen, for they were the more immediate threat, and the knight feared to leave a hole at the party's rear. However, he longed to engage the creatures of ice, for whom Liun'nair would sure prove to be a fearsome bane.

Either way, he mused, there will be chance enough for more battle than any sane man should care to stomach.

Maximus attacked the ice sheathed skeleton with Jal burning in his hands. The fiery blade cut into the cold undead melting the hard frost. The blade struck well both times but Hoth seemed to be stunted in its effect on the creature. Then the ice wight struck with unexpected power and strength. Maximus felt icy claws tear into his flesh through armour and wounding him in left arm and right side. But the cold of the wounds seemed to spread like a fire itself, draining his strength and life. To the others - it was as if the gladiator ignited with a black fire, dark as midnight that seemed to burn for within his body.

The other Ice Creature that was closest ran forward and leaped the ten foot pit with ease to attack Finarsil as she attempted to put up her fire shield. It attacked before the Bard could complete the incantation and she was mauled by its claws. As with Maximus, a black fire ignited within Finarsil and the coldness spread through her body.

Odyson called upon the spirit of his deity to turn the undead away before they could attack more of his friends. But as he tried, he felt the dark evil power of this place giving strength to the undead and cutting off his own ability to draw the magic. In the end, the shaman was unable to turn the ice skeletons away.

Kadrin attacked with his crossbow but the bolts seemed to barely scratch the ice of the monsters. He pulled out his horn in order to get some magic aid for his companions.

At the other end of the corridor, Sparrow used the power of her bow, created from the bones of the undead dragon Undeatha, to take down one zombie-ratman and then another. They were slower now and easier to hit but the power of her bow should have been more effective against them. It was as if in death they had become tougher than before.

Arien used the flames of Luin'naur and struck at the Ratmen. The sword did not fail him and he was able to kill two of them before they started to get try to surround him.

Lun called upon the power of her god to attempt to dispel this evil. She too finds that this place hampers her ability and adds strength to the evil but these are not strong enough undead to stand her wrath. 12 of the zombie-ratmen disintegrate before her holy power.

"Everybody into the tunnel! That is a lot of zombies to kill twice!" Jarenion calls out as he works his spell.

Arien calls, "Defensive formation!" he called. "They come on two fronts!" and moves back behind the spellcaster along with the others just as the wall of fire appears, cutting off the ratmen from the party.

But within the corridor, two companions burn with black fire, Two Ice-skeletons are in combat and three more are moving up to fight as well.

OOC:

Maximus: Seriously wounded and down two constitution points (15)
Finarsil: Seriously wounded and down two constitution points (11)

Note: Finarsil did not get the fire shield up but did not lose the spell as it is in her flute. If she wants to activate it, she can but that will mean no one can help her with healing or aid.

The open pits are a definite hazard in this corridor. It also limits how many ice skeletons can attack at once, but you are 8 people in a tight spot.

"At least they still die" Sparrow thought as her arrows dropped the zombie rat things. It was her companions who were facing worse foes. Suddenly a call for defensive formation rang out and a wall of fire appeared cutting off the ratmen. Turning, Sparrow saw the ice skeletons for the first time. They did not look like something she wanted to get cozy with. "Lets see if they like arrows." Targeting one of the three in the back so as not to hit her friends she took aim and fired.

Kadrin falls back into the defensive formation as "ordered". The crossbow didn't seem effective as he'd liked, so he changes up to his hammer and shield. He prepares, once properly armed, to again engage the oncoming enemies in melee, hoping to crush some bones, and also hoping this battle doesn't go much further south than it already has.

(OOC: Kadrin will shore up defense for Fin as best as he can. After changing up weapons, he will attack the closest skeleton, if possible, depending on how long it would take to change weapons.)

With the zombie rats hopefully walled off by fire, Jarenion turned to see what had been happening behind him. What he saw was not good. Two of the others in the group were afire with black flame Another wall of fire and a Forest's Fiery Constrictor seemed like a fun combination, but also too slow. The others didn't look like they could wait. the ice skeletons needed to be stopped immediately.

His best move was probably to wall off the bad guys. As quickly as he could he dropped a wall of stone between the advancing skeletons and the party. Hopefully with the wall in place they could escape down the side passage.

**Jarenion casts Wall of Stone. He wants to block off as many of the skeletons as possible. Can he put all of them on the other side? Or does it have to be behind those who have engaged the party? The wall should fill the hallway, so he puts the max # of bad guys behind it. Also, he is careful not to allow one of the pits to allow a passage under the wall. Preferably the wall fills the pit as well as the passage. If that isn't doable, he simply must cast the spell where there is no pit.

The evil that has inhabited this tomb had been entrenched for so long that the simple attempt to turn the skeletons was futile. Mother earth held the dark to prevent it from spending across the land but here they near where the dark was contained. Mother's strength would be strained to hold back the dark, leaving the Shaman to rely on all his skills, strength and the clever use of what would be done on the surface.

Seeing the wights attack Max and Finarsil he saw the creatures touch drew the life essence from its victims. The close space of the tunnel now made melee attack on the skeletons difficult but he would have to chance it. Touching the ring on his ear he let the leaf armor release as he willed his change to the Manbear form. Touching the tatto on his forearm he call forth the great double bladed axe "Apatchin". As Arien stepped passed to assist Kadrin in defending Finarsil the Hybred Priest of the Great Bear welded the great axe in Max's defence. Carefully avoiding the pits Ody brought the blade into play on the ice covered creature.


(O.O.C. The Great Axe, "Apatchin" (One That Comes Back) +3 double Damage Against Tanar'ri . A special weapon for a Shaman when he is in Hybrid form. A magical weapon that appeared in his hand after touching a tattoo on his forearm and calling to it. The great axe of the Guardian Lieut (the guardian of the people) created it to help destroy the creatures created by the Dark, a Tanar'ri Killer. It is + 3 against all enemies, but when facing Demons it is the real threat. The blade glows red in 100' presence when Demons are near to cast back the darkness. Wielder gains a 75% magic resistance to Tanar'ri cast spells.)

Seeing the undead turn to dust in the wake of her divine fury, Lun focused her wrath on the remaining abominations. Once again the priestess opened herself to the power of Sehanine and let it flow out from her to fill the room. By the power of the Goddess the would be returned to death.

((OOC: Turn Undead - sorry about the delay and brevity, things are a little crazy right now))

Moving quickly, Arien leaps charges to put himself between the Bard and the Winter Wight. The creature is fast in its attacks but although the cold if the creature is numbing, Arien's armour defends him well from the icy claws. He strikes hard with his flaming sword and shatters the ice skeleton down the centre, leaving bones and slush in its wake.

Sparrow fires rapidly at the wight that is moving up the corridor towards Maximus. The bow she uses is particularly powerful against undead and the enchantment remains strong as she destroys the icy skeleton with her three arrows.

Maximus attacks the wight even as he can feel his life force fade within him. He manages a good blow against the creature. Odyson comes in to aid the rogue with his huge axe but not before the undead can strike Maximus once again with its Blackfire and claws. Odyson slays the wight with a few hard hits with the axe.

Lum forces her will and faith into a prayer of dismissal against the coming Ice skeletons and she too feels what Odyson felt before - the evil of this place limiting her powers. She too cannot turn or destroy these creatures.

Jarenion casts his spell and a wall of stone appears just in time to stop the other two skeletons from reaching you. Kadrin is left without an opponent to fight, much to the dwarf's disappointment.

You have a moment respite as the fire burning at one end and the stone hold the other. The fire will only burn for about 15 minutes and the undead are pounding on the stone wall. Two of your party are burning to death from a Blackfire that seems to be fueled by their very life.

OOC:
Maximus: Seriously wounded and down four constitution points (11)
Finarsil: Seriously wounded and down three constitution points (10)

You are trapped except to go further into the deep dark dungeon.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA........

Sparrow was pleased that her arrows destroyed the wight but she saw her companions were not unharmed. Two had taken damage that appeared to be more than the usual nuisance type. For the moment they were safe, or at least safer than they were moments ago but there now appeared to be no way out. "We need to keep moving. We can try to heal on the move but I really don't want to be here when the magic barrier goes away. Maybe we can lose them further in the cavern." Sparrow tried to put on a brave face but she was scared of what might lay ahead for usually the weakest creature were stuck near the mouth of a cavern as the really deadly ones claimed the inner most recesses. It did not bode well for an archer to be stuck in a place such as this.