Running back to his home Ferrick dodges out of the way of an undead peddler, the mans throat savagely ripped apart and still gushing blood as the gnome remembers laughing with him just that morning. Pulling out his hex driver, Ferrick thrusts the pointed blade through the mans eye with a shaking hand, the corpse falling to the side as a scream from nearby sounds out. Rushing around the corner Ferrick spies Della and several other maids from the castle laden down with rucksacks filled with odds and ends, several of the women already convulsing on the ground as their lifeblood flows down the gutters. Rushing forward the gnome begins chanting under his breath before smacking his palm against a corpse on the ground, the creaking of leather sounding out as the body is lifted up roughly and squeezed by its armor as it begins flailing towards the rising undead around them.
"Sir Ferrick! What's going on?! We were ordered to go to the markets and retrieve several sundries by the head butler but then these savages began attacking random passers by. We ran to the guard houses but the doors were locked and a strange laughter was coming from inside that made us dizzy. We tried to get back to the castle but here we are." The mousekin woman rushes frantically as a torn apart cat attempts to jump atop her before a lean elven maid slashes out with a knitting needle and pierces the animals forehead.
"We don't have time, ladies follow me and we can get to my home. I have wards in place that should allow us some defenses until the guard can clear the streets of this infestation." Ferrick says quickly as he slaps his palms against several more armor sets on nearby tables and watches with a nod as they rise into the air and form humanoid shapes, each set taking a side of the group as they begin to move.
Following closely behind the gnomish man, the remaining maids nervously stick to him as they move further into the market district and away from the increasing sounds of violence and panic. Rounding a corner the group freezes as a rotund troll with spectral skin plods past the alley they're in. Turning towards them the beast smiles sadistically before throwing an arm forward and laughing, the torn body of an elderly man in some fancy red coat landing with a squelch.
"Run weaklings. Run and hide. The rise of the master is upon you. Either join his ranks or feed his men but you will serve eventually." Giggles the troll before squatting down and leaping upwards, his long arms stretched out as he grabs hold of the roof lip and pulls himself up.
"That looked like the troll from that carnival except that troll was a bog troll, puke green and shorter. That thing was massive, looks like the ringleader didn't make it either. Right this way ladies its not much farther." Mutters Ferrick as he moves past the ringleaders corpse, several of the maids also making it before a shriek is heard from the rear before a squelch fills the alley.
Turning to look, Ferrick shakes his head in disgust as he watches a leather set of armor continuously smash its gauntlets into the skull of the corpse, its teeth embedded in the side of a chubby ukrin girl as she trickles blood onto the cobblestone. Muttering under his breathe Ferrick points at the girl as a suit of armor silently steps beside her and thrusts its blade into her heart, ending her suffering quickly as the other maids gasp in shock before turning from the grisly scene and continue to follow blindly.
"Here we are, everyone in now and get comfortable I have a feeling we might be stuck here for awhile." Ferrick says gruffly as he glances to the nearby alley entrance and see's a small pile of armored corpses coated in blood and bile, each wearing the emblem of the city guardsman. Walking into his home he takes stock of his guests and smiles sadly noting only four of the nine women he saw in the market are left. Della the mousekin is fretting about the other three nervously as she checks everyone for wounds, the elven maid pushing the nervous woman away gently as she still clutches the knitting needle from before in a white knuckled grip. Next to those two is an elderly woman with a constant frown, her eyes staring daggers at the gnome as he recalls the woman being the head maid and also constantly complaining about the messes his golems would make after being tampered with. Next to the crone is a small woman with long curled ears and huge black eyes, her maid uniform fitting awkwardly as the toe of a ratty shoe pokes from beneath the hem.
"Your that urchin girl that usually steals from the peddlers. Now none of that flinching I'm not heartless enough to throw ya to the undead but if your here you gotta be working with the rest of us. I don't know what's going on but it ain't good." Ferrick says as as the urchin sighs in relief before pulling out a small bag and emptying the contents in front of everyone. As the bag tilts open a small portal opens as food and weapons rain from inside, a small pile filling the living area quickly before the last dagger is spat out with a tink.
"I uh...I borrowed all this stuff when the first deaders came through. Was old man Rebu and that drunk sailor with the missing fingers. They weren't right at all, the sailor was stumbling like he was drunk but not singing like usual and Rebu was covered in blood. They went up to cheese vendor and before anyone could stop them they tackled her and started eating her. after a couple minutes she stood back up and it just kept going. I saw one of these ladies die and she had a sack of clothes and I remember you being a fancy magic user from the castle. I'm sorry I tricked you but I don't wanna get eaten or turn into one of those things." The urchin squeaks in a lilting voice as emerald tears leak from her oversized eyes and tinkle to the ground as solid beads of gemstone.
"Rare, a velter that isn't enslaved that is. Your kind can literally cry and sweat jewels. How did you end up on the streets rat?" Demands the crone as she glares at the urchin and reaches towards the dropped jewels before grunting and falling forward.
"Leave the girl alone you old bitch, she's trying to survive this shit like the rest of us." Mutters the elven maid as she pulls back the blunt end of a baton she's holding, the end coated in a thin layer of blood as the head maid moans in pain but stays unconscious.
"Well one things for certain, we don't leave here until we know its safe to. With this much food we can stay here for weeks and I have magical plumbing installed so clean water and bathing aren't issues. We just need to wait for help." Ferrick says as the three girls nod, the elderly gnome turning around and frowning as another scream comes from outside that's definitely not friendly.