Journal of Rollo Lavius 1

Entry #6 - Introducing Nobby

(G6 - BC)

day 4, cont (2)...

As we debated our next move, Shifty's (Umbril's new nickname) attention was drawn towards the other end of the cellars where the stairs were. Without a word he skulked off to investigate, myself and Raz following him.

At first I thought it was a small girl descending down the stairs and calling out, but it turned out to be a gnomish cleric called Nacklemil Nobwinkle (who we later nicknamed 'Nobby'). She had just been passing and had seen the building deserted and the doors open and had come down to investigate.

I thought she had come from the city, sent possibly by the Adventurer's Guild, but no, she was actually on her way TO the city. I explained to her that it probably wasn't wise to go there at this time as it seemed poised on the edge of anarchy and well...each answer just drew more questions and soon we had to explain to her everything that had been going on and our involvement in it.

She seemed a good soul as she then declared that she wanted to help us! What nonsense said I! This was no place for such a wee slip of a gel (although she said she was 56! A likely story) and I told her in no uncertain terms to leave at once. But the others didn't seem to mind and in fact Raz seemed to like the idea of having another cleric around. He seemed to think that some sort of divine magic was at work and had sent

Nobby to help us. I must admit, it did seem more than trifling strange to me that no sooner had Shesara been lost to us that someone of equal ability should just drop into our laps.

Oh well, who was I to fight fate? Again we approached the room where the chanting was coming from. There were two entrances to it, not just one as I had at first thought and we split into two groups. Myself, Kintay and Jasmine would attack the first and Raz, Shifty and Nobby would go for the second one, around the bend in the corridor.

It took all three of us to break down our door (after Shifty had picked the lock) and I rather wish it had stayed shut to be honest. Behind the door were a group of zombies and cultists, all with our deaths on their minds.

Kintay swung into the room and Jasmine started laying about at the undead. As a paladin this is her noble duty I suppose, but it showed a lack of any sense of self preservation.

As I entered I was hit by one of those infernal 'sleep' spells and I fell into the cell where Clorie still lurked. He soon woke me and a minute or so later I approached the carnage once more. Kintay was still on his feet but poor poor Jasmine was in a dire state. She was gasping her last breath and being pulled apart by those foul undead beasts. Magic was much in evidence, there was a thick mist and a putrid sickness stench that set my stomach to heaving.

There was nothing I could do to save Jasmine, but I girded my loins and joined Kintay in the melee.

The others had also had a somewhat mixed result. Raz had knocked their door to flinders in two mighty strikes and Shifty had entered only to be immediately set upon and gravely injured. Nobby dragged him to one side letting Raz at the enemy and I believe he must have dispatched half a dozen of them judging by the amount of bits I saw by the doorway later.

There was also some sort of summoned swarm of rats but by then Shifty was on his feet again and dispatched the vermin with jars of Alchemists Fire.

I am no great swordsman, but I did manage to finish off one of the zombies (admittedly a small one) and wound another one before Raz showed up at our door to help out.

I had spotted a female form, dressed in black, somewhere in the mist, just fleetingly, so I think it may have been her that started tossing around - well, what I can only describe as skeleton summoning bones around. I think I remember my father mentioning something similar in one of his adventurers, except that had been dragons teeth...

Anyway, as soon as one was summoned, Raz knocked it to bits with his hammer. Kintay had left the room, I don't know why and didn't have time to check on him as I was still fighting a zombie. I was amazed that I had not really been injured at this stage, just a bruise through my armour, but any complacency I might have had a chance to develop was soon lost when I looked down at the tragic remains of Jasmine just a few paces away from my feet.

Another young gel stuck down in the prime of life in the pursuit of this madness. I think I will soon be cursing the day I ever set foot on the docks of Tashluta.