<div class="floatright">(http://www.visitsitaly.com/tours/site_see_rome/images/0003_0001_crypts_catacombs_02.jpg)<br/>(http://www.sians.org/photos/stairs01_n.jpg)</div>Seeing how most of the group agreed that this wasn't a safe place to rest, Yustissa led the girls across the long hallway, not stopping to explain or mention the murals depicting furthe heroic deeds and saints of the past, but more in a hustle now, wanting to minimize any chance encounters with further predators like the spiders. The strikeforce passed several forks and side passages, some of which seemed like shortcuts but the paladin didn't even notice them and lead them ever onward across the increasingly more labyrinthian passages. "These paths lead nowhere and serve to confuse those of little faith. The depiction of the saints shows us the true path that pilgrims must follow." she said, answering any questions the others might have had about her knowledge of the labyrinth. Soon they left the area with the bubbling water and the insidious gas behind, though any who were affected would take some time on fresh air to recover from the malicious effects.<br/>After about half an hour of traveling the adorned old corridors, which all looked the same to the uninitiated, they finally made it to a large chamber with more than a dozen arched hallways opening into every direction, the catacombs expanding into a vast necropolis from here onward. One of the openings near the middle of the North wall had a stairwell leading upwards. The paladin indicated this way as the noises of movement became apparent from the crypts all around them.<br/>"The fiend has raised the dead in the catacombs. Their numbers could be in the hundreds, we stand no chance in a fight! Hurry to the stairs!" she shouted, leading the way to stairs then letting each of the girls pass her and followed as the rear guard. By the time they all got to the stairwell, dozens upon dozens of zombies and skeletons emerged from all the tunnels, apparently without end and just as nightmarish as the walking corpses the party encountered before.<br/>The stairs led upwards for about a hundred feet before ending at a massive wooden door, currently locked and Yustissa didn't have a key. A seemingly endless horde of undead was climbing and dragging itself up the stairs from below, though the limited space made them rather cramped together.<br/>"Quick, get us through the door before they corner us!"<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Gameplay</div><div class="spoiler_body">Approximately 30 minutes pass with travel for the purpose of timed effects. No need for initiative right now, but the party is attacked by a massive undead horde of 300+ skeletons and zombies. They aren't an immediate threat but prevent the group from taking 10 or 20 on checks. If they catch up with the party it's a wipe, as they will drag the characters down the stairs and simply overwhelm the girls with their numbers: they are 2 turns away from the group. Attacks and turn attempts against the group cause no damage, don't kill any monsters and yield no experience points but inflicting enough losses will delay their approach. All attacks automatically hit, but characters engaging in melee will be retaliated against.<br/>The door at the top of the stairwell leads into the Spire, but is locked (DC:25). Can be broken with Strength (DC:23) or attacks (Hardness 5, 30hp). Because of the limited space, only one character may attempt aid another with the door.<br/>Yustissa's rallying cry lets everyone reroll one d20 if they choose so this round, but you have to take the 2nd result even if it's worse.<br/></div></div>