( I may not have followed you guys into the portal but I can at least be with you guys in spirit and keep track of your actions. ;-) )

Current Actions Summary

Main Tunnel:

37 - Melvinica - OldNick - Drow Thief
"A Vampirate." I say grinning to BJ.

63 - Genocide2099 - Fish - Half Orc Berserker
More undead! And a squid! Except for the undead captain, I'll chop down whichever enemy is closest to me.

34 - Hooyaah - Stefareth - Human Necromancer
I await in the shadows to see what transpires with the Illithid in the side passage, my magic spells at he the ready...

16 - misteryo - Rizzleskiff - Drow Shaman
Rizzleskiff continues to levitate and circle her way northward around the walls, looking for an exit.


Side Tunnel:

10 - muddysneakers - Squee - Goblin Thief
Squee carefully takes aim and fires a precision shot at the presumably stunned Illithid.

1 - hummer010 - Hummer - Elven Ranger -- SLEAPING
Zzzzzzzzzzzz

42 - Nadruk - Aleric - Dwarf Cleric -- STUNNED
Just a reminder that my Holy Guardian maintains its assault on illithid, I hope it can do that even with me stunned.

56 - Damon18 - Damon - Dwarf Warrior
As I advance I can see my friends standing still in some sort of mental confusion, I could perceive something that tried to enter in my head too, but probably for pure luck I was able to avoid it
Withouth hesitation I tighten the grip on my battle axe and once again I charge to strike the strange figure!

21 - Aramandur - Danric the Exiled - Human Paladin
I'm going to do my best to help Aleric's Holy Guardian kill this filthy, tentacled monster. I proceed to attack the Illithid.

Haven't taken turn yet:

Main Tunnel:
57 - ConsulCaesar - Siegfried - Human Paladin
45 - phaolo - Loradan - Elven Mage
68 - matterbandit - Peloquin - Dwarven Thief
67 - Testor0 - Rufus - Human Cleric
40 - Pouyou-pouyou - Gilius - Dwarven Druid
51 - kusumahendra - Henz - Elf Thief
55 - direspirefirewire - StrangerDanger - Elven Ranger
65 - RWarehall - Grom Grombly - Half-Orc Shaman
66 - Sir.Tomato - Tomato - Goblin Thief
75 - VeTrack - Darci - Drow Cleric
77 - RickyAndersen - Aurelia - Elf - Cleric

Side Tunnel:
61 - greeklover - Vanathradil - Elf Mage

I decided to be of some help for our new friends in this obviously difficult time of transition, so I made a little crude map of what I believe our current situation looks like (keep in mind that's artistic impression and could very well differ from what Doc has in his mind).

I'm not sure about BJ and his crew yet: They seem to be friendly enough unless provoked, they are numerous and it seems they are our only ticket out of here. AND BJ can fire LAZERS from his eyes. I believe we should try to talk our way out of this one.

Good luck and have a nice stay!

(Thank you, it helps a lot.)

67 - Rufus - Human Cleric - spells 10/24 - protected with Globe of Protection and Divine Retaliation

Rufus understands that BJ is a kind of PirateyZombifiedWizard. He asks BJ: "Who are you? What's your purpose? Do you want to leave this cavern?"

Rufus whispers to his teamates: "Friends, cast your spells now."
Rufus lets his partners launch their spells if they need to, then if BJ is aggressive, he casts "Silence" on BJ location.

He places himself on guard behind his shield, and stays ready to hit any hostile creature with his Returning Silver Light-Hammer on fire.

While on guard, Rufus will check the suroundings... Is there any exit in the cavern for us? for the boat? Are we on the boat? Can I see any mechanism that we could use to exit the place (anchors, ropes, sails,traps...)? Is the parrot flying around, or resting?

(To Doc: As I read about it, can we change our spells?)

Loradan exited the portal some minutes after the others.
When he arrived, he found himself in the center of a large cave, above a rocking wooden contruction.. a boat?

The party seemed to have appeared in the middle of a battle against some zombies pirates.. lead by a penguin??
The attackers were a mix of various races; he recognized some faces from the starting chamber.

The mage felt unsafe about his current position, so he cast again his expiring Levitate spell and flew straight up, near the mast (in case of problems).

When he reached the top, he landed on the crow's nest to have a better look at the the current situation.
( if the place was somehow already occupied by a zombie, he landed on the yard instead, and possibly zapped the creature from a distance with his wand, if it showed hostility. )

[Northern main tunnel]

I finally caught up! Thank you very much for the map.

I'm torn between casting Turn Undead and fighting the zombies, or giving a chance to a diplomatic solution. My character doesn't believe the members of any given race are inheritently evil, so technically that includes zombie penguins as well.

Also, my character has high charisma. That means I could try to negotiate with BJ or eventually convince the crew to depose him as captain.

But we need to stick together. Be it a battle or diplomacy, we can't interfere with each other. However, my oath is to protect the lives of my comrades (old or new) with my own life, so I won't let anyone get hurt without a fight.

I keep my silver sword in my hand and take a defense stand in case the zombie pirates attack me or the other heroes. If that happens, I counter-attack with my silver sword.

Question: how would Rufus casting Silence on BJ would interfere with Turn Undead? I don't want my last offensive spell to get wasted.

I offer myself as spokesperson to negotiate with BJ if the singing pirate crew is not violent and there's a consensus in the group.

(Also, there's no way my character can know what is happening in the Southern tunnel but I won't pretend I haven't read it. Let's just say that I had a vision so I know Roosevelt is alive and fighting together with a new party).

(If I was there with you guys, I'd go for diplomacy. Be on the pirate's level and speak like a pirate. The better you sound like one, the more likely he'll be on your side. That's my thoughts anyway.)

Thanks!

In my mind the ship area is a closed area that goes nowhere, like the one attached here...
spent too much time on that damn game in my life! xD

(But that ship actually gets to leave the catacombs. ;)

Now that I think of it, it's the tunnels the ones that don't lead anywhere.

And there's not such a thing as too much time spent on Monkey Island. Some of the best moments of my childhood.)

It wasn't 100% clear but I suppose the Summon Monster spell was interrupted/failed? If not I have the monster attack the illithid. The illithid has high magic resistance so I can't be of much help against it but the battle seems practically won at this point. I leave from the other side of the room towards the side tunnel.

Vanathradil - Elf Mage
Mirror Image active 3rd turn

[68 - Peloquin - Dwarven Thief]

Nothing prepared me for what greeted us at the other side of the portal. I tumbled down a chute of light and landed at the feet of a... Giant Penguin?! He was dressed like a typical pirate, with an eyepatch on his face and a skeletal parrot on his shoulder. This Giant Penguin reeked of decay. The stench of death was everywhere. I spotted a zombie Ettin just behind him, whipping other zombies of various races as they worked about making repairs to this ship. To my surprise, there were four other companions who dropped from the portal, besides Rufus, the Human Cleric. The portal took us to a very dangerous place indeed!

The Giant Penguin Pirate turns to face a nearby Drow Thief and asks, "Do ye like riddles Drow? Answer me this. What wears an eyepatch and robs ships at night?" This is the opportunity and distraction I needed! As the Giant Penguin Pirate engaged in conversation with his subject, my Dwarven Thief instincts drove me to make a quick, stealthy exit towards the cover of the nearest shadows, away from the feet of this giant, out of sight from the worker zombies and their Ettin whipper. I studied my surroundings and searched for shadows to conceal my presence. Is there a mast nearby that I could climb and remain cloaked out of sight? If not, perhaps there's a secret trap door near me that I could safely disappear throught? With Light Hamer still in hand, I look for a nearby spot to vanish from sight, so that I can better observe my surroundings and figure out the best way to deal with these zombie ship mates and their undead captian.

++++++++++++++++++++++++
High constitution. Leather armour.
1 x cure poison potion. 1 x heal potion.
Lockpicks. Trap disarm kit. Rope.
Ring of free movement - this ring means traps and spells to ensnare me will not work.
Shortbow and quiver of enchanted arrows (paralyze).
Lucky dagger. Light hammer.

Current Actions Summary

Main Tunnel:

37 - Melvinica - OldNick - Drow Thief
"A Vampirate." I say grinning to BJ.

63 - Genocide2099 - Fish - Half Orc Berserker
More undead! And a squid! Except for the undead captain, I'll chop down whichever enemy is closest to me.

34 - Hooyaah - Stefareth - Human Necromancer
I await in the shadows to see what transpires with the Illithid in the side passage, my magic spells at he the ready...

16 - misteryo - Rizzleskiff - Drow Shaman
Rizzleskiff continues to levitate and circle her way northward around the walls, looking for an exit.

67 - Testor0 - Rufus - Human Cleric
Rufus understands that BJ is a kind of PirateyZombifiedWizard. He asks BJ: "Who are you? What's your purpose? Do you want to leave this cavern?"
Rufus whispers to his teamates: "Friends, cast your spells now."
Rufus lets his partners launch their spells if they need to, then if BJ is aggressive, he casts "Silence" on BJ location.
He places himself on guard behind his shield, and stays ready to hit any hostile creature with his Returning Silver Light-Hammer on fire.
While on guard, Rufus will check the suroundings... Is there any exit in the cavern for us? for the boat? Are we on the boat? Can I see any mechanism that we could use to exit the place (anchors, ropes, sails,traps...)? Is the parrot flying around, or resting?
(To Doc: As I read about it, can we change our spells?)

45 - phaolo - Loradan - Elven Mage
The mage felt unsafe about his current position, so he cast again his expiring Levitate spell and flew straight up, near the mast (in case of problems).
When he reached the top, he landed on the crow's nest to have a better look at the the current situation.
( if the place was somehow already occupied by a zombie, he landed on the yard instead, and possibly zapped the creature from a distance with his wand, if it showed hostility. )

57 - ConsulCaesar - Siegfried - Human Paladin
I keep my silver sword in my hand and take a defense stand in case the zombie pirates attack me or the other heroes. If that happens, I counter-attack with my silver sword.
I offer myself as spokesperson to negotiate with BJ if the singing pirate crew is not violent and there's a consensus in the group.

68 - matterbandit - Peloquin - Dwarven Thief
The Giant Penguin Pirate turns to face a nearby Drow Thief and asks, "Do ye like riddles Drow? Answer me this. What wears an eyepatch and robs ships at night?" This is the opportunity and distraction I needed! As the Giant Penguin Pirate engaged in conversation with his subject, my Dwarven Thief instincts drove me to make a quick, stealthy exit towards the cover of the nearest shadows, away from the feet of this giant, out of sight from the worker zombies and their Ettin whipper. I studied my surroundings and searched for shadows to conceal my presence. Is there a mast nearby that I could climb and remain cloaked out of sight? If not, perhaps there's a secret trap door near me that I could safely disappear throught? With Light Hamer still in hand, I look for a nearby spot to vanish from sight, so that I can better observe my surroundings and figure out the best way to deal with these zombie ship mates and their undead captian.

Side Tunnel:

10 - muddysneakers - Squee - Goblin Thief
Squee carefully takes aim and fires a precision shot at the presumably stunned Illithid.

1 - hummer010 - Hummer - Elven Ranger -- SLEAPING
Zzzzzzzzzzzz

42 - Nadruk - Aleric - Dwarf Cleric -- STUNNED
Just a reminder that my Holy Guardian maintains its assault on illithid, I hope it can do that even with me stunned.

56 - Damon18 - Damon - Dwarf Warrior
As I advance I can see my friends standing still in some sort of mental confusion, I could perceive something that tried to enter in my head too, but probably for pure luck I was able to avoid it
Withouth hesitation I tighten the grip on my battle axe and once again I charge to strike the strange figure!

21 - Aramandur - Danric the Exiled - Human Paladin
I'm going to do my best to help Aleric's Holy Guardian kill this filthy, tentacled monster. I proceed to attack the Illithid.

61 - greeklover - Vanathradil - Elf Mage
It wasn't 100% clear but I suppose the Summon Monster spell was interrupted/failed? If not I have the monster attack the illithid. The illithid has high magic resistance so I can't be of much help against it but the battle seems practically won at this point. I leave from the other side of the room towards the side tunnel.

Haven't taken turn yet:

Main Tunnel:

40 - Pouyou-pouyou - Gilius - Dwarven Druid
51 - kusumahendra - Henz - Elf Thief
55 - direspirefirewire - StrangerDanger - Elven Ranger
65 - RWarehall - Grom Grombly - Half-Orc Shaman
66 - Sir.Tomato - Tomato - Goblin Thief
75 - VeTrack - Darci - Drow Cleric
77 - RickyAndersen - Aurelia - Elf - Cleric

51 - Henz - Elf Thief

"oh boy. Not another fight. Calm down Henz. Leave the big bad guys to those fighters and focus on cutting the number of small fries, one at a time" Henz said to himself while slowly and silently trying to get as close as possible to one of the weak looking zombies while trying to avoid detection. "Best if I could get behind and deliver a back stab. Now I just need to be close enough"

40 - Gilius, dwarven druid

Being a bit confused after having been through the portal and discovering these new surroundings and events unfolding before him, Gilius flies in the air after Loradan and sets foot on the crow's nest or wherever he went. This should give him a good sight of the scene.

If and only if things escalate and the zombies charge, I cast a Lightning Storm on the zombies making sure nobody on our side is struck as well. Hopefully, it won't be needed.

Will cast another Flame Strike. Priority will be multiple targets without hitting other members of the party followed by those closest to me. From the sound of it the Penguin is engaged. Hoping there is a nice cluster of zombies somewhere to fry.

Grom Grombly

Loradan was pleased to see an ally join him.
Also.. a flying dwarf was quite a funny sight to behold. ;)

Anyway, once landed, the mage put aside such silly thoughts and spoke with him very seriously:

"Gilius, the portal has clearly lead us to the wrong place. I recognized some people from the main chamber.
We should solve this situation quickly and then go back to the others, before they'll encounter the witch themselves."

"I heard Siegfried trying to reason with that penguin creature, but I fear we'll have to fight it instead.
It seems magical, so be prepared for some trick."