As we approach the front gate low moaning and chittering can be heard coming from the other side as well as the squelching sounds of meat hitting meat. At the count of three Wug and Fey get on either side of our gate and slowly pull it open, showing the scene of carnage within. Several piles of bones shuffle about aimlessly as their legs are different lengths, blood and gristle hang off their deformed bodies as they look around vacantly before nudging other undead out of their way.
(Bone Golem Minion Level 5)
Inanimate creatures created through another creatures will all for the goal of following their orders. This type of golem is created using dark magic to animate the bones leftover in area's.
Taking note of the golems I look at the other creatures and see several forms of undead including a few that are bitter surprises.
(Wererat Shuffler Level 9)
The risen corpses of a low level creature, these undead are most noted for their inability to do more than charge head on at enemies and shuffle about in a mindless state. Can be controlled by a more powerful undead or dark affiliated caster.
(Wererat Dripper Level 5)
Reanimated corpses of low level creatures that have lost all their skin or fur. Their bodies have atrophied reducing their levels but undeath has strengthened their overall power. Unlike basic undead these undead have a predatory intelligence that although low still makes it a threat to living creatures. They've claimed the title drippers due to the never-ending blood that flows from their skinless bodies and thirst for the fluids inside other living creatures in a vain attempt to restore themselves.
Standing in a circle on the inner clearing behind the random undead wererats are the bodies of several wolf sized spiders with glowing black eyes, a handful of skinned gnolls staring into the air with their milky white eyes, and three thin wyrmlings with pale, flaking scales.
(Death Touched Spider Level 4)
The risen corpse of a Giant spider being controlled by a powerful undead or caster. Extremely venomous and its bite can also cause temporary curses.
(Gnoll Zombie Level 1)
Basic undead made from a long dead body.
(Wyrmling Zombie Level 1)
Basic undead made from a long dead body.
I can count four of the spiders while there are only three of the zombie wyrmlings and seven of the gnolls. As we slowly walk through the gate a few smaller undead spring at us while chittering maniacally, their glowing green eyes shining with malice as they run headfirst into the weapons of our frontline. I inspect these smaller creatures and grimace as yet another menace presents itself.
(Ratling Scourge Level 3)
Undead created from the bodies of the young or infantile, this undead only knows hate towards the living. They savagely attack and try to infect their targets instead of killing them in an attempt to steal the life that was stolen from them. Infection can be cured with holy or light magic.
As the first ratling impales itself on Wakes trident that was thrust forward, several more jump towards him before being clubbed by Wug's club and a hammer from Ogis. Several more of the diminutive undead charge towards our group before stopping and cowering as a figure shoves its way through our ranks and confronts them. Before I know it Jawbone the hellhound has already pounced on a group of three of the undead and is several inches away from their faces, his maw opened wide as a wispy green light is drug out of the ratling corpses and into its mouth. As the undead under its paws go limp the hellhound lets out a satisfied belch before glancing towards the other small undead with excitement. Before we can stop it the hound has begun chasing the remainder of the small undead around and eating their...souls?...essence?...whatever the green stuff is but also alerting the remainder of the undead to our presence. As all milky eyes turn to us a chortling rasping laugh is heard from the cave as a beast exits, its blackened eyes shining with malice as it waves its hand forward.
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(Don Juan Demousso Level 16 Undead Boss)
The risen corpse of a powerful Don, his enemies left his body to rot with his Familia after a dishonorable ambush. Upon his death a vast hatred was ignited in his dying heart and over time his corpse absorbed that hatred bringing rise to a viscous revenant. In his undeath his first action was to use his hatred to bring back his slain Familia, then he turned his sights on the other unfortunate souls who hadn't been put to rest all for the sake of leading this army towards those who slew him.
Don Juan Glares at us as we hold off the undead that throw themselves at us, the shufflers just battering themselves into our frontline while the drippers try to sneak under the weapons and get in close to deal damaging blows.
"Yes my Familia yes! Show these cowardly murderers your rage and hate for what they've done! Show them that even in death the Demousso Familia will reign supreme and add their broken bodies to our ranks!" the Don screams in hatred, its voice sounding like a mix of a watery rasp and a dry gurgle mixed together, its ethereal body fading in and out as it walks slowly towards our group. I tell our few ranged people to try and hit him but their attacks get soaked up by the onrushing undead. As we finally push through the bulk of the wererat zombies we're faced with the bone golems and spiders, each golem standing at nine feet tall and made up of all sharp edges and blunted bones. As the first golem steps towards us a club smashes into its chest sending bits of bone flying in all directions, the club getting stuck as the blue hand holding it lets go and charges forward smashing his fists into the joints of the construct. As the golem buckles under Bubble's fists the other constructs charge towards us as our melee members begin to attack. Wug lashes out with his club, a dark glow coating it as he activates his Brutal Swing skill sending the top half of the golem flying into the air as the bottom half shakes once before collapsing. A spider lunges towards Wug's outstretched arm but before it can attack an axe blade separates its head from its body, ichor gushing out onto Tugta's arms and legs as she smiles viscously before chasing after another of the arachnids.
I stab out with a spear I looted from the gnoll camp, smiling happily as the point lands in the eye of one of the gnoll zombies causing it's body to shudder once before falling backwards on top of one of the wyrmling zombies. Harold jumps at the contained wyrmling and sends a bolt of pure white light towards the wyrmling that causes its body to become scorched and turn to dust as it hits. Slab stands next to me with a crossbow in his hands, each bolt fired from the weapon not being fatal but hitting an enemy and causing many of them to be pushed backwards slightly. His cackling laugh filled with nervousness and fear as he keeps glancing towards Jawbone in worry as the hellhound continues to chase down random undead. Jeff shadows Sheer as he explains how to dispatch the undead quickly to her and guiding her while using a femur from a dispatched golem as a club, braining several of the drippers who try to ambush the pair. Fey stands in the back of our group with a wooden building hammer in one hand and a chisel in the other, his eyes showing disappointment as he watches the violence. I sigh at the masons refusal to fight but accept the fact that he'll only defend his own stuff so I can't exactly complain about the behemoth. As I watch Harold smite down another zombie I finally see an end to the wave of undead but grimace as I watch Don Juan throw Jeff to the side while Sheer darts towards us with fear showing in her eyes.
"Everybody fall back and keep together! That's a boss monster and he's strong so be defensive and don't underestimate him." I yell as I take my cane from my back and raise it above my head, the golden glow hitting everybody in my group as well as the hellhound that's in the process of ripping apart a golem. As everybody begins to cheer and mumble at their increased strength a scream of pure rage is heard. As I look towards the sound I see Don Juan charging towards us, his eyes glued on the cane in my hands with greed.