Jade Regent

Game Master Will Cooper

I got nothing but a CLW that won't interfere with the fight. So unless you're down hit points, I got nothing.

Marduzi eyes the other rising skeletons warily, but having his sword in hand already decides to trust the skeleton's word for now.
No buffing to offer from me. Anything I could do would definitely be construed as interference.

Rommin shakes his head slowly, not having a better course of action to offer.

Jordan nods at Malcolm. Time to back his play.

The lesser skeletons move slowly to form a wide ring around Malcolm and Tsutami. They leave plenty of spaces for you to join the circle. As one, they begin moaning a low dirge, wordless and full of the emptiness of death. The light in the ancient samurai's eyes flares brighter at the sound, and he moves to face Malcolm, taking a guard position with the single-edged blade held vertical in front of him.

The wordless support of the lesser skeletons is giving Tsutami a morale bonus. You can offset the bonus by supporting Malcolm with encouragement, useful advice, witty commentary, and the like. Each round, you can choose a suitable skill or ability and make a check. I'll then tot up the results and apply an overall effect to that round of combat.

Initiative from Malcolm, please.

Both warriors stand motionless in the final heartbeats of stillness and anticipation.

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Round 1, AC: 20, HP: 14/14, Smite Evil

Malcolm slowly circles his opponent, looking for an opening. When one presents itself, he lunges in with his Bastard Sword.

For the perfection that is Ameiko!

BS ATT: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 2 = 14
BS DAM: 1d10 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 4 + 2 = 15

"These guys are really starting to harsh my mellow. Gotta do something about that."
Azmythe adds the sound of his flute to Kelistria's tune.
Perform 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Marduzi moves back into the circle formed by the skeletons and looks at the foe, hoping to spot a weakness that Malcolm can exploit.
Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 Not so much

Kelistra concentrates on her music, but quietly says, "You can do it Mal."

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Ah, but this is a foregone conclution! Why Malcolm considers himself the perfect warrior, just like Ser Arvind the black blade did.
You see, what happened was..."

Perform Oratory: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Jordan limps forward weakly, but speaks in a clear voice,
"You other evil deadites interfere, and I'll smoke you."

Couldn't resist and Army of Darkness reference:-)

Got a boomstick handy have you? If not, you find them in the sporting goods department, shop smart, shop S-mart.

Knowledge Religion 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Halvor tries to think of weaknesses in undead to help Malcolm

Malcolm attacks quickly but does not manage to beat Tsutami's blade. Despite the encouragement and advice from his companions, Malcolm's first attack is parried, and the skeletal samurai seeks his own opening.

Attack 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16, damage 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10.

The blade of the undead warrior is repelled by Malcolm's divine protections. The blue fires in its eye sockets flare in chill rage. It circles silently.

Skeletal choir: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3. Malcolm, you gain +2 to attack and +2 to damage next round from your companions moral support.

ROUND 2!

Round 2, AC: 20, HP: 14/14, Smite Evil, Moral Support

Malcolm, bolstered by the accolades of his companions, strides in to swing at the skeleton.

BS ATT: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 2 + 2 = 23
BS DAM: 1d10 + 4 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 2 + 2 = 18

Marduzi looks for an opening in the skeleton's fighting style or a weakness in his undead body, but doesn't much that Malcolm isn't already taking advantage of. "Great strike there Malcolm. He has an unusual style. Well done!"
Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Kaijitsu?! Hmmm, this is getting interesting...

Joining the circle around the fight but weary of the skeletons Iralynash shouts his support for Malcolm.

You got this Cavendish, finish this palhaço!
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

"Did you see that strike? Why, that blow was worthy of Gandelbash Thunderthighs himself! You see, Gandelbash was a..."

Perform Oratory: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Rommin nods approvingly of Malcolm's efforts. Justice is on your side, champion. Give this spirit its long overdue rest.

"Come on, Malcolm. There's no way I'm telling Ameiko about you dying after you called her perfect." Kelistra keeps playing.

Perform (stringed instrument): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Continues to accompany Kelistra
Perorm (flute) 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
He's not much of a jazz flutist

This time Malcolm slips inside Tsutami's guard. His bastard sword, bolstered by divine favor, cleaves through the undead warrior's tattered lacquered armor, crunching into the dead thing's unbreathing ribcage. Tsutami jerks backward, ripping Malcolm's sword free of his chest. It would be a mortal wound for a living warrior, but the skeleton merely returns to circling.

Then he abruptly changes direction, stepping forward to assay his own strike.
Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10, damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Once again Tsutami's blade is frustrated by Malcolm's solid defense.

The skeletons begin to stamp their feet in turn with their ghastly moaning. Skeletal choir: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22. Next round Tsutami will gain +1 to attack and damage.

ROUND 3!

Round 2, AC: 20, HP: 14/14, Smite Evil

I assume that the +1 for Tsumati this round is in lieu opf the +2s that I received last round due to moral support? If not, please add them in for me.

Malcolm avoids the charging opponent and smiles broadly as he slides under the waepon to slice upwards through its ribcage.

BS ATT: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 2 = 20
BS DAM: 1d10 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 2 = 9

Round 3

Marduzi keep looking for possible openings that Malcolm could take advantage of. "There, where you ripped open his chest. I think you've thrown his spine off balance to the left. Nice form with your sword too!"
Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Geez, these rolls have been terrible. Glad you managed to volunteer first, Marduzi would be dead by now.

The smite evil definitely helps!

Come on, you can do it!

Diplom: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Kelistra plays quickly, weaving the melody she's plucking out on her mandolin over and around the skeletons' basic foot stamping like a child playing among puddles on a rainy day.

Perform (stringed instrument): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Happy thanksgiving, everyone who celebrated it.

Malcolm's blade carves again through the same great rent in Tsutami's armor. The undead samurai makes no sound, but shifts its sword to a one-handed stance, and moves smoothly into range for its own strike.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 1 = 26, damage 1d6 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 1 = 7.

With a flourish, Tsutami flicks Malcolm's blood from his blade to the skeletons circled around. They hiss in pleasure, and anticipation of more blood. Skeletal choir: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

ROUND 5! No bonuses to either side this turn due to Kelistra's artistry.

Round 3, AC: 20, HP: 7/14, Smite Evil

Malcolm, glances in disgust at the wound that he takes after cleaving into Tsutami's torso again.

You will pay for that!

BS ATT: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 2 = 17
BS DAM: 1d10 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 = 11

Round 4

Marduzi winces as the skeleton's blade slices easily through Malcolm's armor. This may not be as easy as I thought. Malcolm has struck him several times, but it keeps coming. Again, Marduzi looks to see if there is any sign of weakness in the skeleton's approach. Seeing something in its shift to the one-armed stance, he calls out a suggestion about attacking the weak side to Malcolm.
Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Perform: flute 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Azmythe puts down the flute.

Love it :)

Malcolm's pushes Tsutami's blade to one side. With only one skeletal hand on the hilt, Tsutami takes a moment longer to recover its guard. In that moment, Malcolm's sword splits the grinning skull. The two halves of the polished white dome fall on either side of the skeletal body and the blue lights in its eyes dim, fade,

... honor ... the ... heir ...

and go out.

The skeletal choir roars as one. They raise their arms, mouths gaping wide. Then they too collapse to inert piles of bones. The temperature in the cavern seems to rise, returning to the natural underground chill, losing its malicious bite.

End of combat.

"Honor and blood. Bone and steel. You served and fought in life and in not life. Rest faithful servant. Be at peace mighty warrior." Azmythe pays respects to the skeletal champion before going to look over Malcom's wounds.
CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

After the felling blow, Malcolm nods briefly at the corpse of the skeletal warrior. After the healing suirge infuses his wound, he turns to Azmythe.

Thank you, friend.Thank all of your for your support during that battle. Your encoragement was a boon.

Kelistra's playing slows down. It just wouldn't be right to play Tsutami out triumphantly. As the last notes of her melody echo through the cave, Kelistra turns to Malcolm, "This is so awesome. Lord Tsutami who protected the Kaijitsu heir long after taking his last breath finally defeated by his successor. Man, Malcolm, you'll feel so burned when you finally realize there's no way Ameiko's a long-lost princess and you wind up having to guard her homely cousin."

"That was an amazing display Malcolm. I would never have thought that an undead creature could still have some honor left."

Malcolm turns to Kelistra,

I care not who I have to guard as a duty, but I do desire the heart of fair Ameiko, and that is no secret.

He then focuses on Halvor.

Thank you, I would not have thought so either, but as this threat unfolds, it becomes more and more interesting.

"Well, all this was a piece of luck. I don't believe I'll have to make up a story about this, the truth is so fantastic that nobody will believe it anyway Hahahaha!"

Ruhk gives Malcolm a slap on the back.
"Well fought, you're a real BASTARD with that sword."

Rommin carefully starts to make a circuit of the room, nudging at the piles of remains of the undead choir to assure himself they have indeed followed their master to the Boneyard.

As the others compliment Malcolm's prowess, Rommin quietly nods in agreement.

At Halvor's comment about the undead still having honor, Rommin asks solemnly "Is there something we can do to honor their remains? Does anyone know the tradition that may suit them best?"

"We may need to consult with Ameiko. I don't know their ways, but it seems we should so something to honor them. I know no if it matters, but I also noticed right at the end that the hilt of the warrior's blade was broken. Perhaps we should consider repairing it to bury with him?"

"Maybe we can find an answer in the chest Tsutami was sitting on." Kelistra steps forward to examine the chest.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Not noticing anything unusual about the chest, she opens it.

"The guardian was keeping the chest in trust for the Kaijitsu family. Should we not take this back to them and let them open it?"

Indeed, let us return the chest to Ameiko.

Indeed Kelistra. the elf says while getting closer to the chest to also give it a look.

Percept: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

But hearing the others argument he stops to answer
So we return a box guarded by an evil spirit to an innocent third party without knowing what is inside? I would not do that to a friend. Besides, if the chest have been here long enough it may have became a nest to vipers or some other vermin. We should check it before moving it anyway...

"She is your friend. If you wish to rummage through what could be heirlooms passed down through unknown generations, lost to the ages, and now recovered I won't stop you, but I will think less of you. I wouldt think that she would want to be the first to see whatever is in there. Be the first to touch a tangible piece of her family's past. But that is me and I am not her friend." Azmythe walks away fromt the chest to the opening of the cave mouth.

"I actually agree with Iralynash. What if it is a relic from Ameiko's homeland that caused the undead manifestations we witnessed? I know little of such things myself; can anyone here try to confirm there is no dark magic about it or its contents before we take it back to the heart of Sandpoint and put all the fine folk there in danger?"

"That is sage advice Rommin. Let us at least make sure the chest does not contain an obvious danger. Then, let's close it back up and bring it back to her. I think we should talk to her about the blade as well." Marduzi thinks for a moment. "Or, we could bring her here. I could ride back on Smoke and see if I can find her."

I agree with Rommin as well. let us check out the contents without disturbing anything.