Company+of+the+Phoenix+Session+11

** Session 11 ** **7-30-2016** **The Undead Invade Eveningstar**

Having battled back the orcs, our group of heroes slept the night in an inn deemed safe in Eveningstar. The air still smelled of smoke from the fires in the city. They were awoken by a panicked guard who burst through the doors, a little out of breath. His armor was smudged with soot and blood, and his voice echoed through the inn, "They've breached the East Gate! For any who would give their last... follow me!"

The group quickly gathered their gear and followed the soldier out into the city where a roar of battle drew them a block over to where skeletons and zombies flowing down the street. Alaric wove a shield spell around himself as they moved closer. Tiri created a shield of faith with her prayers around her, following quickly. Nalen blessed his companions as he led the others alongside Charlemagne and Karlissa.

Spying the incoming force, the skeletons and zombies turned down the street to stride with purpose to meet them. Alix drew Doomsong from it's sheath. It glowed white in the presence of the undead, and he dashed down the street toward them. Anuul moved along the edge of the building, sneaking in through the shadows.

Charging down the street, Charlemagne pulled a flaming Ashweaver to slash through the first zombie, carrying through to slay a second! Karlissa followed him in to kill a third, slicing it through with her blade. Alaric moved up behind his cousin, and Rhain struck one of the skeletons to the side, coming down from another street. A wave of divine energy washed out from Tiri out over the skeletons around them.

 A big skeleton slashed across Rhain's chest, ripping open her armor as a zombie came up and bounced her head off of the brick building! The young swashbuckler fell to the ground, unconscious as the undead continued on over her body. A skeleton slashed across Karlissa's arm while a zombie dug it's claws into Tiri's flesh! Nalen's armor protected him from another skeleton. A whyte pierced into Alix while Anuul dodged out of the way of another skeleton.

Alix stabbed Doomsong into the face of the whyte, and it screamed and fell to it's death! Anuul backed up into corner of the building, slashing back at the skeletons around her. Charlemagne wielded his flaming blade, slashing deeply across a zombie, barely leaving it alive. Scattered across the intersection were a few larger skeletons that began casting and weaving their magic.

Alaric stepped protectively over Rhain's fallen body and cast out a cone of fire through his draconic scepter, burning down 7 undead coming toward him! Tiri moved quickly to put her hands on Rhain, healing up her wounds, but leaving her unconscious. Most of the skeletons moved as a group, but a few walked independently... a strange green light behind their eyes. One of the eery green lit eyes skeleton slashed his large sword deeply across Charlemagne, spraying his blood across the crowd around him! An arrow came from down the alleyway to pierce into Tiri's back, causing her to scream as she stepped forward.

One of the zombies slashed into Alaric's back as they advanced in the alleyway. Spikes grew from Alix's dagger, digging into his hand... and Doomsong changed to red as Alix charged forward, using part of his own life force to slash into a zombie, dropping it to a corpse on the ground. Charlemagne swung Ashweaver, just missing the green eyed undead in front of him who cackled with glee. An obscuring mist swept out from one of the casters and magic missiles shot out from another to impale Alix who fell to the ground, unconscious. Alaric blasted out another wave of fire through his scepter, turning all of the undead coming down the alleyway to ash!

Tiri pulsed out bluish white light, healing the wounds of her companions around her. Rhain and Alix got back to their feet. A group of skeletons poured around the corner to surround Anuul as 3 zombies closed around Nalen, slashing into him! Two arrows impaled into Rhain and another zipped past Tiri's ear. Arrows hit the wall and ground around Alaric, but his magic shield deflected any from hitting him. Alix used Doomsong on a zombie, dropping it's corpse to the ground.

Charlemagne pierced his flaming sword through the green eyed skeleton, leaving deep grooves on his bones.  Magic missiles came from two different magic users among the undead... they bounced off of the shield around Alaric, but tore through Tiri's flesh, leaving bloodstains on her azure robes as she barely remained standing. Alaric sent another wave of fire through his scepter, burning the undead around him to ash! The blue-haired priestess behind him opened her arms to the sky proudly declaring her prayers to Corellion, and was rewarded by a sparkling ray of sun coming down through the clouds to spray out from her to her companions, healing their wounds and giving her strength to continue standing. She breathed out, murmuring her grateful thanks.

Even through her fur, Anuul's face paled at the sight of the undead group coming for her from around the alley, and she turned with wide eyes to Alix, nodding, "Run! I'll hold them as long as I can." Alix's eyes widened in response and he shook his head, looking over her heavy wounds, "No! You get to the blue haired elf!" He pointed through the crowd to Tiri. A block over the group could hear a loud cheer from a crowd of people. Two zombies and two skeletons charged the young kitsune, dropping her unconscious body before she even had a chance to move! Skeletons raked their blades against Alix as more blades clanged against the armor of Nalen and Karlissa. Rhain managed to dodge and parry the undead around her as Charlemagne took a scratch from another. Arrows came from the back, one of them piercing into Alaric!

With Anuul buried under a pile of undead, Alix charged in with a roar with Doomsong to slaughter a zombie as he dug into the crowd! Charlemagne swung Ashweaver heavily through the green-lighted skeleton to carry through into the zombie beside him! A scream and a pop sounded as the skeleton crumpled to the ground, the light leaving it's eyes, and three more skeletons near him also shattered. Karlissa cleaved another skeleton, dropping his bones as Rhain dropped a zombie near to her.  One of the skeletal magic users sent another barrage of magic missiles hitting Karlissa, and the other began weaving a spell while eyeing Alaric.

Alaric moved across the road, heading for the heavier group of undead as Tiri sent out a wave of positive energy to clear a path. From somewhere in the back of the group, an explosion of a fireball washed over the mages and several other undead! Charlemagne blinked in surprise at his fire mage cousin as Tiri turned to Alaric, asking, "When did you learn to do that?!" Alaric looked proud and nodded as they moved across the battlefield. Rhain killed a zombie as Nalen took down a skeleton.

Unafraid of the new threat, the undead continued on, one of the skeletons stabbing Alix. Two zombies surrounded Nalen, one of them slashing through his armor. Another of the green lit eyed skeletons advanced to stagger Charlemagne, leaving him barely breathing. Arrows came in with one of them piercing Alaric.

Alix charged over to stab Doomsong into the green lit eyed skeleton, but it managed to avoid the blade as it simply pierced the air between it's ribs. Charlemagne clutched his chest, blood flowing freely as he stepped back. A cascade of lightning bolts lit the area in the back, taking down the archers, and Cormyrian soldiers charged around the corner to impact into the line of skeletons. One of Nilyniel's warmages advanced behind them, dismissing the rest of the skeletons! Tiri reached Anuul, weaving healing magic to get the kitsune back to her feet.

Bonarue, the warmage, nodded to the company of young heroes and medics were called over. "Where is the rest of your unit?" Bonarue asked them. Tiri looked at her confused, "This is all of us." "We're an adventuring company, The Company of the Phoenix. We're not a military unit," Alaric explained. "Most impressive," the warmage nodded, "From the size of the dead over here I thought there was at least twice your number." "Thank you," Alix and Tiri both answered at once with the priestess nodding, "And thank you for your aid." "We just dispatched orcs here last night. A group of shamans had been weaving some sort of magical aid around the army," Alaric explained.

Bonarue nodded, "We'd heard of the orcs attack, but most were gone when we arrived. The undead were coming down in a line from the chasm up in the hill." "We'll need to get up to that crevasse and investigate," Alaric nodded. "Excellent! We were looking for volunteers," the warmage replied. "Then you found some," Tiri agreed. Alaric nodded, "We were heading there when we got to the city. We were in service to your mistress Nilyniel." Bonarue made some sort of symbol in the air and nodded, "Excellent. The Company of the Phoenix... you come with high regard." Alaric nodded, "We will need to rest for the night... regain our magic and heal." Charlemagne nodded, "We should rest in one of the inns." "We shall see to your needs," Bonarue gestured for two younger warmages who escorted the group to the south wing of one of the noble estates. As they looked out over the city, walking up the hill, they could see the west side of the city still smoldering from the orc attack and the east side of the city was crushed from the undead. "What happened to draw all of these things to the city?" Charlemagne asked. "The undead attacked for reasons that we still don't know, but we think that the orc attack was just seizing the opportunity of weakness," Bonarue answered and continued thoughtfully, "There is a coldness in the mountain... when you go, guard well." "I shall do my best to bring warmth," Alaric answered. A slow smile spread on the warmage's lips as she nodded in return.

Food and beds were made ready. Tiri used the rest of her prayers to heal herself and her companions remaining wounds before they bathed and ate and slept...

4th Level!! Woot!!