Solo RPG Project 2026: Scene 2
Thatcher the Cleric looked uneasily at the movement hidden beneath the rubble of the fallen pillars. It was hard to see anything from this distance and with the flock of crows in the way. He turned to Edmur the Fighter and asked, "Think you could scatter those birds?"
Edmur smiled and nodded, loading a small stone into his sling and launching it toward the birds.
Angry squawking filled the ruins as the birds took flight and retreated to the tree line. It became clear that the scavengers had been feasting on two corpses, corpses that were now rising to their feet and focusing their rotting faces toward the four adventurers.
Thatcher looked with a mixture of disgust and pity at the restless dead, and told Gossamer to get behind him, "We have to cleanse this corruption," he said as he reached for his Holy Symbol.
Begin combat procedures to resolve the standoff.
Step 1: Declare Spells and Melee Movement
Thatcher intends to use his class ability Turn Undead
There is no melee movement, as no one is in melee yet
Step 2: Initiative (Each side rolls 1d6)
The adventurers automatically win, since the Zombie stat block states "Initiative: Always lose (no roll)."
Step 3: Winning Side Acts
Monster Morale: Zombies attack on sight and cannot fail a Morale Check (they have Morale 12)
Movement: Using the Basic Encumbrance rules, the four adventurers movement rates are:
Gossamer (No Armor): 40 ft. Gunderson (Heavy Armor): 20 ft. Thatcher (Heavy Armor): 20 ft. Edmur (Light Armor): 30 ft.
Gossamer and Edmur move to the left, using the rubble from a fallen pillar as cover, preparing ranged weapons to attack. Thatcher and Gunderson move forward, preparing to confront the zombies directly.
Missile Attacks: Gossamer throws a dagger at the closest zombie. --30 ft. range means the attack is at long range, -1 to attack roll. Gossamer rolls a 20-1=19 Attack roll, a hit! 3 damage to the zombie.
Edmur hurls a sling stone at the same zombie Gossamer injured. --25 ft. range means the attack is at short range, +1 to attack roll. Edmur rolls a 9+1=10 Attack roll, a miss!
Spell Casting: Thatcher brandishes his Holy Symbol, bellowing a righteous curse upon the undead, rolls a 7, turn fails (target number was 9 for 2 HD monsters)
Melee Attacks: No one is within melee range
Step 5: Other side acts
The zombies move their 20 ft. toward Gunderson and Thatcher, and one zombie is now in melee range to Thatcher. The zombie makes a melee attack, rolls a 15+1=16 Attack roll, a miss!
Combat continues, the result is: The zombies enter melee with Thatcher and Gunderson, while Gossamer and Edmur continue their ranged attacks. The melee is brutal, with several close calls against the melee fighters, but their armor and shields protect them as they strike blow after blow. The zombies are defeated with no damage lost to the adventurers!
Combat ends and Thatcher bellows a mighty cheer in praise of the gods. Gossamer is shaken, never having seen such terrifying creatures before. Gunderson and Edmur share a joyful drink from Edmur's flask. Thatcher kneels down, saying a prayer for the lost souls, and searches through their clothing for any indication of who they were in life. The group finds 2 small red gems, worth 15 gold each, as well as two copper rings identifying membership in the Woodcutters Guild.