Immersive Ink

waysoftheearth wrote:
Josiane barely perceives a vile black cloud exhaled with the monster's last, withering breath as it lets go of its horrid parody of life. She rips her blade free of it and it collapses, lifeless, in a jumble of gangly limbs and spilled gore.

Alas! Dorgan appears dead beneath it!

Only now does Mads get the torch aflame, and at last there is a measure of visibility in the darkness.

What now?

doctorx wrote:
Josiane hurls the fallen abomination aside and checks Dorgan carefully for any sign of life - pulse, breath etc. "Pray Thuul he be not slain..!" she whispers desperately.

Remembering her healer's training from her time in the Convent, she will attempt the kiss of life to keep him breathing if he is unable to do so for himself.

waysoftheearth wrote:
Ah, 'tis a blessing indeed!

The fearless Dwarf has breath in him still, if shallow. He isn't moving at all however... perhaps he has gone into some kind of shock?

sulldawga wrote:
Dorgan peacefully dreams of shining angels with blades of purest light swooping down from the heavens to rescue him from shambling ebon doom.

doctorx wrote:
"The Saint be praised! He lives!" Josiane breathes gratefully.

She turns to the others; "Percy - do you watch the corridor. The sound of battle may draw further trouble down upon us. Mads - will you please use the light to see what lies in yonder room? Some devilry is at work here; I would have answers as to what."

She herself attends to Dorgan, sitting the dwarf up against the wall and attending to his injuries as best she may.

"Fear not, gallant friend; all will be well," she whispers to him gently.

waysoftheearth wrote:
It takes Dorgon a few minutes to recover from his... condition.

At length he regains consciousness and, more slowly, his motor functions. He tries to clear his befuddled head with a shake, and realises that his skin still feels numbed as if by cold. But if anything, it is warm in here.

Dorgan finds himself sitting upon the floor in the cramped corridor. His new companions are about him, and the slain... thing... a knotted, stinking mess just a few feet away.

sulldawga wrote:
Dorgan slowly rises to his feet, almost tottering over as he fumbles for his axe with clumsy fingers.

"By the Bright Axe, that was close. Ah'm chilled to mah bones!"

He looks closely at the foul corpse on the floor.

"Anyone know what kind a' creature this be? My axe shoulda spilled its guts on the floor but it just... leaked."

doctorx wrote:
"Rest easy, friend," Josiane whispers, smiling reassuringly as she sees Dorgan recovering; "The foe is fallen; You have conquered."

Seeing him on his feet again she adds:

"Undead of some kind - Evil is most assuredly at work here. A devilry that torments the departed in such a manner must be stamped out and swiftly."

She pauses to kneel by the fallen creature, her eyes closed tightly in prayer; "I salute the person you once were," she whispers; "And I wish you all joy in the afterlife you hold holy now you are freed of your torment. I swear to see justice visited on those who brought this curse down upon thee in my Lady's name."

sulldawga wrote:
"What sort a' madness are these Goblins practicin' in here?" Dorgan mumbles to himself.

He walks into the room, presumably now illuminated by Mads' torch, to make sure there will be no more undead to fight.

waysoftheearth wrote:
Dorgan collects himself and steps over the horrid corpse and into the room from which it emerged.

Josiane, Percy and Mads follow, so that Mads' torch light illuminates the place.

There is a dizzying stench within, and it is a sorry sight to behold.

It might have been a crude wooden room in any case, but with the added appearance of having been used as a meat locker the room is horrific. The floor and walls are spoiled by dark blood stains and there are a number of dismembered body parts lingering haphazardly about, flung casually aside it would seem. What might have been the gnawed trunk of a Man is what, presumably, prevented Dorgan opening the room initially...

Exactly what that... thing was doing in here is a matter for conjecture. However, there do not appear to be any other exits from this room.