Post by David on Mar 24, 2006 14:52:39 GMT -5
Although the head of Zeenab had been destroyed, the heroes still found themselves in great danger. Chloe was mazed, Sabuto's knee shattered, Jamal, Su, and Omar feared with 19 juju zombie-caliphs and 54 zombie-sycophants to deal with. Orn and Isaac tried to hold the caliphs off, while Maroud dragged Sabuto to safety and Mandar flew back to aid the heroes. Just as he arrived, however, Chloe and Jamal returned! But before the heroes could celebrate, they could hear Zeenab again, this time casting a death spell!
Luckily, after more than nine centuries as a head, the former vizier forgot to use his arms and thus the spell failed. Clearly, however, he would not make that mistake again! The heroes could see one sycophant zombie acting differently from the rest -- ranting and raving about his throne room and the respect due to the greatest of caliphs!
Mandar flew to intercept the lich-zombie before he could cast any more spells. This forced Orn back into combat. Flint had moved to support him, but was hacked down by a lucky blow, putting Jamal in the front rank. Meanwhile, Chloe healed Flint while Maroud destroyed more zombies. That's when the nine magic missiles slammed into Mandar. Undaunted, he hacked at the lich-zombie again, but still it wouldn't fall! The rest of the heroes tried to hold off the juju-caliphs while Maroud and Chloe turned the lesser undead. A few juju zombies, however, broke off to support their master -- the lesser zombies lacking the speed and skill to reach Mandar's flying form.
Mandar got hit by another volley of magic missiles as well as one caliph-zombie. He managed to destroy Zeenab's new body but was barely alive. Chloe used asundazzle to slow down the remaining zombies he was fighting while Maroud destroyed more. Orn was hurt again.
Finally, however, the last of the lesser zombies were destroyed and all but one of the greater zombies fighting Mandar were turned. Flint and Sabuto were back on their feet, although Orn was looking poorly. Mandar was about to move to support the other fighters when Maroud turned all of the remaining juju zombies they were fighting. Things were looking up...!
Which is when Zeenab possessed the body of another caliph near his throne and lightning bolted Mandar. The big fighter smashed into the ground, dying. The heroes still able to fight (Maroud, Chloe, Flint, Orn, Isaac, and Jamal) rushed to prevent the lich-juju-zombie from unleashing another spell, with Jamal moving to intercept the last standing juju zombie and Maroud moving to heal Mandar.
Unfortunately, the chamber was much too large to cover in a single round. Zeenab launched another lightning bolt this one at his most hated, standing foe, the half-orcish archer who had "ruined my beautiful face" with his magic arrows. Catching Jamal was merely a bonus. Both men fell, but the caliph-zombie Jamal was battling was unaffected. Orn was forced to move in to protect Jamal, using his body as a shield. Meanwhile, Maroud healed Mandar and Chloe and Flint engaged Zeenab.
Out of lesser spells, the lich restored to the only spells he could in combat. His first power word Stun floored Flint. Mandar recovered his feet, receiving an aid from Maroud, while Orn psionically shifted himself and Jamal to safety.
Zeenab spoke a second power word Stun, this time dropping Chloe. Mandar moved in to engage the lich while Maroud attempted to turn the last zombie. He failed and was felled for his efforts. Surrounded, Mandar hacked both undead, dropping the juju zombie just as Orn got Isaac back to his feet.
Zeenab was forced into melee combat now, having exhausted all of his combat-useful spells. Mandar continued to cleave away, with Isaac moving in to help and Chloe miraculously recovering from the power word Stun. Another zombie-lich fell!
Orn started searching the throne, trying to find the lich's phylactery. Meanwhile, the lich animated another juju zombie, but Mandar, Isaac, and Chloe were ready for him! In less than 30 seconds, this zombie too was destroyed. Frustrated, Orn used his mental powers to seek some clue from the throne -- and was far more successful than he anticipated!
The throne itself, made of solid gold, was Zeenab's soul-jar. Each time his mortal form was destroyed, the former vizier was cast back into the throne momentarily, before magic jarring into another undead host within range. But physical contact allowed Zeenab a chance at Orn's body...
The priest warded off the attempt and told the heroes what he learned. The heroes destroyed the last nearby juju zombie before the caliph could possess it, with Mandar moving to deal with the other zombies across the room. One jerked suddenly as Zeenab's consciousness entered it, and Mandar began hacking this body too to bits. Unfortunately, he found himself suddenly battling all the remaining, now unturned, juju zombies! Issac and Maroud moved to support him, but were both felled. Things began to look bleak again.
Just then, again able to act, Flint fried one of his spell books, casting fireball directly out of it and onto the throne. It was only barely that he avoided a powerful, magical backlash. As Mandar destroyed Zeenab's latest host, the vizier's soul bounced back into the throne, to be destroyed along with it. Orn was using his psychic powers at the time and felt Zeenab's destruction.
Finally there were only "mortal" undead to deal with. The heroes made short work of the remaining zombies, tended their wounded and gathered nearly a millennium of kings' treasure....
...true, Sabuto's right knee was shattered, Orn's ribs were broken, and Isaac's left eye destroyed, but the heroes were victorious. Moreover, with a bit of divine healing, these wounds too would fade...
...but the treasure and glory (and infamy of desecrating the corpses of nine centuries of honored-dead) would remain...
Luckily, after more than nine centuries as a head, the former vizier forgot to use his arms and thus the spell failed. Clearly, however, he would not make that mistake again! The heroes could see one sycophant zombie acting differently from the rest -- ranting and raving about his throne room and the respect due to the greatest of caliphs!
Mandar flew to intercept the lich-zombie before he could cast any more spells. This forced Orn back into combat. Flint had moved to support him, but was hacked down by a lucky blow, putting Jamal in the front rank. Meanwhile, Chloe healed Flint while Maroud destroyed more zombies. That's when the nine magic missiles slammed into Mandar. Undaunted, he hacked at the lich-zombie again, but still it wouldn't fall! The rest of the heroes tried to hold off the juju-caliphs while Maroud and Chloe turned the lesser undead. A few juju zombies, however, broke off to support their master -- the lesser zombies lacking the speed and skill to reach Mandar's flying form.
Mandar got hit by another volley of magic missiles as well as one caliph-zombie. He managed to destroy Zeenab's new body but was barely alive. Chloe used asundazzle to slow down the remaining zombies he was fighting while Maroud destroyed more. Orn was hurt again.
Finally, however, the last of the lesser zombies were destroyed and all but one of the greater zombies fighting Mandar were turned. Flint and Sabuto were back on their feet, although Orn was looking poorly. Mandar was about to move to support the other fighters when Maroud turned all of the remaining juju zombies they were fighting. Things were looking up...!
Which is when Zeenab possessed the body of another caliph near his throne and lightning bolted Mandar. The big fighter smashed into the ground, dying. The heroes still able to fight (Maroud, Chloe, Flint, Orn, Isaac, and Jamal) rushed to prevent the lich-juju-zombie from unleashing another spell, with Jamal moving to intercept the last standing juju zombie and Maroud moving to heal Mandar.
Unfortunately, the chamber was much too large to cover in a single round. Zeenab launched another lightning bolt this one at his most hated, standing foe, the half-orcish archer who had "ruined my beautiful face" with his magic arrows. Catching Jamal was merely a bonus. Both men fell, but the caliph-zombie Jamal was battling was unaffected. Orn was forced to move in to protect Jamal, using his body as a shield. Meanwhile, Maroud healed Mandar and Chloe and Flint engaged Zeenab.
Out of lesser spells, the lich restored to the only spells he could in combat. His first power word Stun floored Flint. Mandar recovered his feet, receiving an aid from Maroud, while Orn psionically shifted himself and Jamal to safety.
Zeenab spoke a second power word Stun, this time dropping Chloe. Mandar moved in to engage the lich while Maroud attempted to turn the last zombie. He failed and was felled for his efforts. Surrounded, Mandar hacked both undead, dropping the juju zombie just as Orn got Isaac back to his feet.
Zeenab was forced into melee combat now, having exhausted all of his combat-useful spells. Mandar continued to cleave away, with Isaac moving in to help and Chloe miraculously recovering from the power word Stun. Another zombie-lich fell!
Orn started searching the throne, trying to find the lich's phylactery. Meanwhile, the lich animated another juju zombie, but Mandar, Isaac, and Chloe were ready for him! In less than 30 seconds, this zombie too was destroyed. Frustrated, Orn used his mental powers to seek some clue from the throne -- and was far more successful than he anticipated!
The throne itself, made of solid gold, was Zeenab's soul-jar. Each time his mortal form was destroyed, the former vizier was cast back into the throne momentarily, before magic jarring into another undead host within range. But physical contact allowed Zeenab a chance at Orn's body...
The priest warded off the attempt and told the heroes what he learned. The heroes destroyed the last nearby juju zombie before the caliph could possess it, with Mandar moving to deal with the other zombies across the room. One jerked suddenly as Zeenab's consciousness entered it, and Mandar began hacking this body too to bits. Unfortunately, he found himself suddenly battling all the remaining, now unturned, juju zombies! Issac and Maroud moved to support him, but were both felled. Things began to look bleak again.
Just then, again able to act, Flint fried one of his spell books, casting fireball directly out of it and onto the throne. It was only barely that he avoided a powerful, magical backlash. As Mandar destroyed Zeenab's latest host, the vizier's soul bounced back into the throne, to be destroyed along with it. Orn was using his psychic powers at the time and felt Zeenab's destruction.
Finally there were only "mortal" undead to deal with. The heroes made short work of the remaining zombies, tended their wounded and gathered nearly a millennium of kings' treasure....
...true, Sabuto's right knee was shattered, Orn's ribs were broken, and Isaac's left eye destroyed, but the heroes were victorious. Moreover, with a bit of divine healing, these wounds too would fade...
...but the treasure and glory (and infamy of desecrating the corpses of nine centuries of honored-dead) would remain...