Still frowning slightly at his odd displacement, Aesamar glances at the portcullis to his left, and, deciding he probably won't be able to open it, turns and tries the handle of the door to his right instead.

((Open door. If I can.))

The wizard, taking the lead for the second time in the goblin stronghold, stops short of the portcullis and door. His fey ears pick up some modestly unpleasant sounds coming from just beyond the gate.

At first it is nothing more than shuffling, but it soon expands into a gurgling groan. The sound quickly multiplies, revealing the presence of more than a single unseen thing lurking in the darkness.

Tsuujin listens to the grunting, and looks at his surroundings.

"Let's give ourselves the advantage," he says quietly to his companions. "Stay in the hallway, force them to bottleneck through the door, at least until we know what we're dealing with. I say we toss one of those floating fireballs in there to give us some light."

Aesamar glares intently into the darkness beyond the portcullis, trying to pick up any more details with his sensitive fey eyes.
"Once again, the fireballs are hardly the safest way of casting light, and they are extremely taxing for me as well. Given that I don't have any objects on me that I'd be willing to throw away, if anyone has a sunrod, activating that and throwing it through the bars would be significantly more practical."

((Perception check past the portcullis. (1d20+8=22) Does my low-light vision grant me a perception bonus as well, or is it just what it says on the tin?))
((A couple of sunrods are part of the "basic adventurer equipment" most of us have. I just cut sunrods out of mine because my mage light works well enough in most situations, and sword + orb was costly enough as is.))

The shuffling seems to move towards the bars, and Aesamar is able to catch faint glimpses of rotting flesh and torn clothing. The stench seems to hit the group all at once. Before the wizard can say a word, however, two decaying hands grip the portcullis and thrust it upward, allowing light to flood the chamber beyond and revealing a pair of hungry looking zombies.

((Aaaand that's the start of combat. I'll have a map up once I get home, and if nobody minds, I'm just going to roll initiative for everybody so there's not any waiting.

In terms of positioning, I'm assuming that Aesamar is in front, with Tsuujin next to him, and Ralzik, Gaetele, and Zorga right behind. If anyone has any problems with this formation, say something in the next hour and I can adjust it. But from how things have gone, that seems the most logical setup.))

edit: ninja'd

(( My init bonus is better than before, make sure you factor that in. Because my rolls are historically aweful. ))

((That sounds good. Don't forget to factor Combat Leader into initiative checks for +2.))

((*draws picture of vegetarian zombies...* "Graaaaaaiiiinssss"))

Before anyone can react, the zombie that had thrust up the portcullis suddenly lunged with a speed that belied its rotting visage. The rotting fingers clenched at the eladrin's robes and pulled him tightly into the creature's stinking embrace.

Z1 grabs Aesamar. (Aesamar is immobilized. Need to make an Athletics or Acrobatics check at -5 vs the zombie's fortitude to break free. Immobilized means you can't move away.)



Enemy Info:
Z1 HP 40/40; AC 13; Fort 13, Ref 9, Will 10 (I4)
Z2 HP 40/40; AC 13; Fort 13, Ref 9, Will 10 (J3)

Player Info:
Tsuujin HP 31/31 (J6)
Aesamar HP 24/24 (J5): Grabbed, Immobilized
Ralzik HP 32/32 (K6)
Kuro HP 24/24 (K5)
Zorga HP 29/29 (L6)

Next up: Tsuujin!

Jumping into action as his companion is grappled by the undead foe, Tsuujin quickly steps into battle.

With a quick flourish of steel, his rapier enters the creature's flesh, not doing much to phase the zombie. Eager to get his friend from the clutches of the zombie Tsuujin strikes again, but his caution regarding striking his ally causes him to miss entirely.

"Look here, fool, and prepare yourself for permanent death!" taunts the fighter.

((
Move to I5
Dual Strike vs. Z1 (AC 13) (1d20+8=25, 1d20+8=10, 1d8+2=5, 1d6+2=5)
Rapier hits, 5 damage.
Shortsword misses.
Mark Z1.
))

As the fighter shouts and attacks the zombie, the door behind him opens silently.

"Look here, fool, and prepare yourself for permanent death!" Tsuujin yelled.

And then he felt the blade slip past his armor and cut into his side.

((G moves to I6. Hits Tsuujin for 6 damage.))



Enemy Info:
Z1 HP 35/40; AC 13; Fort 13, Ref 9, Will 10 (I4)
Z2 HP 40/40; AC 13; Fort 13, Ref 9, Will 10 (J3)
G HP 25/25; AC 16; Fort 12, Ref 14, Will 11 (I6)
S HP 53/53; AC 16; Fort 15, Ref 14, Will 12 (I10)

Player Info:
Tsuujin HP 24/31 (I5)
Aesamar HP 24/24 (J5): Grabbed, Immobilized
Ralzik HP 32/32 (K6)
Kuro HP 24/24 (K5)
Zorga HP 29/29 (L6)

Next up: Ralzik & Aesamar!

((I just realized I left some stuff out on escaping a grab. First, it's a move action to escape. So you can still attack before or afterwards. You can shift 1 square after escaping. You can also teleport without having to make a acrobatics or athletics check.))

Aesamar grimaces as the undead creature wraps a rotting arm around his torso, and then releases a magic-imbued cry in the direction of his his captor. A crackling wave roars out from between his lips, shoving the zombie who had grabbed him backwards, forcing it to release its hold. However, the other zombie was able to hold its ground. A noise was also heard from around the corner of the dark room as the wave swept through the area.
Now freed from the undead grasp, the wizard decides that he would be better off further away from the midst of battle, and takes a step towards the stairs to the north, appearing at their summit before his companions can blink, drawing his sword from its sheath with a soft hiss and surveying the area from his new vantage point.

((Cast thunderwave in a blast square from H2:J4. Int vs Ref13. (1d20+4=13 1d8+4=6) Hit vs Z1. 6 damage, push 2. (1d20+4=11) Miss vs Z2))
((I don't know what the creature-round-the-corner's fortitude is, or even what it is, so if you could do the honours, SAW, then that would probably be easiest. Oh, and by the way, what exactly are G and S. Just more goblins?))
((Fey step to E5. Draw longsword.))

You hear a sickening crunch and groan as the beast in the shadows is hurled backward into crypt beyond your vision.

((Concealed creature was hit and pushed back.))



Enemy Info:
Z1 HP 29/40; AC 13; Fort 13, Ref 9, Will 10 (I4)
Z2 HP 40/40; AC 13; Fort 13, Ref 9, Will 10 (J3)
G HP 25/25; AC 16; Fort 12, Ref 14, Will 11 (I6)
S HP 53/53; AC 16; Fort 15, Ref 14, Will 12 (I10)

Player Info:
Tsuujin HP 24/31 (I5)
Aesamar HP 24/24 (E5)
Ralzik HP 32/32 (K6)
Kuro HP 24/24 (K5)
Zorga HP 29/29 (L6)

Next up: Ralzik!

((According to the PHB (It was in the combat chapter, I can't check the page just now), Blast is a square area adjacent to the caster. So thunderwave, which is Blast 3, should affect those 9 squares I defined.))

((Huh. I was wrong. I could have sworn I read that a burst was a straight line. Sorry about that. See, that's why I wanted to run a nice short adventure, cause I don't know all the rules yet either.))

((Okay, reupped the map (so refresh to see it) and changed the post to tell what happened.))

((EDIT: Oops, ignore me.))

((Sorry, bit distracted got a bunch of stuff going on tonight. Dire Radiance to z1. it's the skill that does damage if they come closer to me 1d6+5))

1d20+5=22 -- HIT

1d6+5=9 - Damage to Z1

((curse G))