-----As Krord reaches out to hold the Dread Pirate, Seth whispers to Kazel, "If you want to continue go ahead, but maybe we should head up to that tavern again and have some lunch. You know it is no good running around without sustenance!"
-----Kazel looks worriedly down both ends of the tunnel and listens for any oncoming assault. She whispers to Seth and Brandel, "Add sewage along with turnip farming to that list..." She then moves towards Gimplefwick and reaches out a hand to him saying in a low voice. "Okay Captain, let's just get out of here and get back on top?" She braces herself against the wall, however, so she won't fall in herself if chaos ensues.
-----The moment Seth's hand touches Gimplefwick's shoulder, he lets loose with a terrifying scream, "Bleeeyaaaah!" He then leaps nearly three feet in the air and hits the ground running, making great leaps and bounds, staying as far away from the roiling sewage as possible.
-----Kazel immediately tries to grab the Dread Pirate the second he starts to bolt, before he gets out of reach with those boots of his.
-----The Dread Pirate, oblivious to any comments, continues racing down the ledge, frantically seeking a way out or a space where he can distance himself from the sewage.
-----The half-elven butcher seizes a bit of Gimplefwick's vest in her hand, but the halfling's momentum carries him forward and Kazel loses her grip. From there it is a chaotic situation as everyone runs or at least hurries after the Dread Pirate. The sound of their boots or other footwear pounding the stones send confusing echoes in all directions.
-----Brandel suddenly finds himself falling behind with Abbar for fear of the torch going out in the rush. "Wait! Wait! My friends, it is too dangerous!" calls the merchant, but his pleads do little to slow anyone's progress. As everyone finds out, no hint of an egress is found as the tunnel seems to lead into the darkness forever and ever. . .
-----Finally, up ahead, comes a very faint glow. There, as the Dread Pirate is the first to find out, the tunnel changes somewhat. The tunnel itself appears to come to an end with a solid stone wall. At about twenty feet from the end wall, the ledge leaves the left wall swinging out onto a platform that leads over the middle of the sewage stained water and heads straight for the wall where a door is positioned.
-----On each side of the door, a blazing torch has been placed in metal brackets. The torches, though their flames look long, seem not to cast much of a brightness. The dim flickering light dully adds any detail to the sluggish waters and the old stones of the tunnel.
-----Odd shapes are also seen in the water level where it meets the sides of the tunnel. On closer look or when the eyes adjust to this lighting, the shapes are obviously made of bone. It then becomes apparent that the decomposed remains of six bodies lay half-submerged on each side of the platform ledge; a total of twelve bodies!
-----Gimplefwick quickly gains the platform and stands over the dark water on each side of him. The door now stands before him. The Dread Pirate sees no need to react with any of the bodies as they are positioned away from the central platform as if their backs are against the walls of the tunnel. However, at this point, something distressing happens . . .
-----Just as the Dread Pirate stands a few feet from the door, a reddish light begins to slowly grow into existence within the empty eye sockets of the dead. The twelve corpses that effectively surround the Dread Pirate slowly show evidence of motion as skulls turn and bones begin to straighten.
-----The noise of the accompanying party's approach grows with Abbar's voice yelling out, "No, no, you fool! Go no farther!"
-----The Dread Pirate, opting to face the undead rather than get near the water again, whips out his cutlass and begins hacking madly at the corpses.
-----Seth shakes his head and aims his crossbow at one of the animated dead things and fires. He decides to stand away and reload rather than grapple in close with the denizens of hell. As he reloads, he yells at Abbar, "How did you know of this place!" referring to his outcry of go no farther.
-----"Do you not see?" Abbar yells back to Seth while pointing ahead at the Dread Pirate's position, "The undead have already found him! The potion may not work now that we attack!" The merchant raises his hands and closes his eyes. He utters some gibberish or perhaps something in another language, which looks like a prayer. He then stares with wide horrified eyes at the dead surrounding the frantic halfling.
-----By now the walking dead stand about hip high in the sluggish water wading slowly toward the platform. Gimplefwick slowly backs toward the door in the end wall. As the nearest skeletal thing reaches the edge of the platform, the Dread Pirate swings his cutlass only to fail hitting the creepy abomination. A clawed hand grabs at the halfling, but as it does, it slips on the submerged stones under its bony feet. The skeleton falls slamming its jaw bone on the surface of the walkway.