Jirnia grits his teeth as the skeleton moves, hollow or not, it needs to pass on...
Barnabus hangs right behind Jirani's shoulder, his Morningstar in one hand and a healing hex at the ready with his free hand...
"Ware it comes."
Lothar's stance changes as he unleashed his inner dragon. He did not move however from where he stood. Instead, the magician prepared by reminding himself that he would enjoy the feel of its bones shattering beneath his fists.
Watching her adjacent ally for his reaction, she sees the pause like at the entrance. Not completely surprised, for she has seen great warriors that needed that moment to compose themselves or who even require their foe to strike first, she steps forward to take the brunt of the attack.
Noriel at the back quickly and decides that this creature may be more of a threat then the group originally anticipated. She planned on using a special ability and gathering power, but currently her skills were not up to par to use gather power for infusion that doesn’t require the effort. Although she was not going to simple let what could be the greatest fight of the night go down without a hitch.
”I see this will not be easy”
Noriel starts to cringe as her body starts to pulse with silvery strands of Aether coursing across her skin and lifting into oblivion, she waves her hands around her and all the skeleton bones from the floor come pouring in around her, she looks forward to the charging skeleton, hoping that it will become easier to hit in its charge. She launches with all her effort draining her life force in the process of a powerful attack at the would be boss skeleton, Focusing all she had, of course it completely showing her hand to the rest of the group, as skeleton bones come flying at the skeleton like a machine gun of bullets. She took a 5ft step forward to attempt to improve her aim and be more in line with the evil creature.
The force of the Burn on her takes from her till a full night rest 5 hp.
HP: 50/55
touch attack healing hex
Noriel will use her telekineses to fling the sword on the ground another 30 feet towards the exit of the room/cave, using her move action to draw her Dagger.
"Now..Now.. We can't have that happening today! Thats not how you treat a lady."
Flinging her hair back a moment as her body came to a rest, at this point though her body continues to have silvery Aether radiating from her body.
"All my efforts, nothing....???"
Noriel got a moment of a shock, nearly feeling useless for but a moment as she attempted to keep the boss skeleton from claiming his weapon.
Hampered by his curse of foresight Jirani manages to lurch forward another few feet so as to be threatening the skeleton if his comrades efforts do not end the confrontation in mere seconds
Lothar moved forward to engage the skeleton his companions now faced. Due to his current condition, he kept his attack simple, delivering a vicious kick to its femur just above the knee. In a flesh and blood opponent, the strike would have weakened the leg and limited mobility. But with this enemy, the best that Lothar could hope for was to completely shatter the bone.
Jirani cannot help but pat his elven companion on the back, Well done. Another foul creature sent back to its proper passing.
Noriel looks over the fallen bones and quickly replies to group, her skin remains pulsing with a faint silvery aura for the remainder of the day.
”I believe that we should bundle these bones into a bag for proper burial, and to insure they don’t reassemble.”
Noriel immediate idea was focused on the fact that these bones could re-animate once more and then it would be another fight all over again.
”This fight was fairly easy; although, should all the bones assemble into some mystical undead abomination, our challenge may become unbearable.”
Noriel mind races with the possibility of something greater happening. Something about this seemed off to her like whatever it was, it’s not over yet. She doesn’t let her guard down for a second, although she does attempt to sleight of hands the broken sword into her backpack with her kinetic telekinesis, while everyone is still distracted.
"I watch tha magic o tha trap to see if it returns, err if it passes wit tha knight."
”I believe that we should bundle these bones into a bag for proper burial, and to insure they don’t reassemble.”
"Indeed. We discussed that earlier, that Master Shores would use his knowledge of proper rituals to lay the dead to rest once and for all. I presume we have some digging to do."
She begins the process of gathering up the bones to remove them from the barrow. She's not paying attention to Noriel's actions, but as she works, she asks, "Barnabus, Lothar, did one of you say that the broken sword was magical? Can you tell what the nature of the magic is? I thought a broken sword would lose its enchantment."
"Rasha I was more concerned wit tha magical mist regathering strength...yer incorrect a broken magic can at times be mended, though it may have tah be refired tah do so."
Renews detect magic and turns to consider the sword fragment...
Spellcraft
"Given proper time I could say more o it."
Jirani nods at Rhas distractedly, Burial could be an option though it I had my preference with bones that were once animated I would prefer to cremate the remains. We would need to build a pyre and, preferably add a reagent of some kind to ensure the fire burns as hot as possible. We can mark the passing of these souls with a monument of cairn of some kind but I think there is a symbolism my Lady would appreciate in seeing these remains free from any possibility of abuse.
The paladin looks around for a moment as the conversation moves to the sword, Ah...where did the sword even go?
Eyebrows raised, Rhasadilara looks around from her task.
"Perhaps the sword is the source of the problem here. We need to locate it before it does other mischief."
"I see no sign tha trap energies err regatherin, perhaps tha curse is broken."
Noriel starts looking around for the sword, unsure of where it may have gone, or at least that’s the expression she reveals.
”Ah yessss… I flung it”
Making haste Noriel leaves the room only to return a moment later, holding the sword upon her hand. Noriel hasted retrieval of the weapon while out of sight to avoid suspicions.
”It appears that it was in the other room!
Noriel Realized two things at this moment:
”I need to either get better at this, or obtains things this group has no interest in looking for or has little knowledge of its existence.”
"We ken determine tha properties o tha sword at our leisure, I will determine iffen tis magical. Jirani ken yah determine iffen it hast tha taint o evil?"
Rhasadilara looks a bit doubtful, but more relieved, that the sword has been located. She returns to the gathering of bones.
"Does anyone want to investigate this room? It might help to inter the dead if we know who they were."
"Aye tha whole ting must be safe....perhaps we should give it a name an purpose fer use. A root cellar perhaps."
Lothar had wandered back to the tomb's entrance once Golden Arm had finished off the undead creature, avoiding the trap in the process. Having experienced the effects of the trap before, he knew that his fatigue would pass after a good night of rest.
But the magician had a more pressing problem. Until now, the skills that he had acquired had been more than useful to the Wardens. But now, Lothar wasn't so sure that would be the case in the future. His magic was very limited in scope when compared to the witchcraft employed by Barbnabus. And his fighting skills, though impressive, were lacking when compared to Rhasadilara's. And with the likes of Jirani and Noriel possibly joining their ranks, Lothar knew that he would have step up his game to continue being useful to his fellow Wardens.
He looked up to the sky and smiled. That meant that Lothar would do whatever was necessary to prove his worth and if that meant extensive training on his part, that would be what he would have to do.
And part of that meant accepting that he could no longer be beholden to two masters. In his heart, he knew that he could no longer follow the ways of Norgorber, not when the teachings of Irori offered him more freedom to discover his own path.
When they made it back to the settlement, Lothar resolved to find the monk of Irori and to learn from her as much as he could to further his knowledge of the Master of Masters' teachings.
An interesting tale. Knowing more of what has transpired here I would wish to cremate the remains but place them back here as a monument of this tale. The sword has a story and I am of the opinion that this soul unduly meant to covet his past and it kept him from his transition. We should take it and see it reforged perhaps. Named to honor this tale but put to a use in this world, not held for the next.
"I am happy to defer to your judgment on such matters."
Noriel helps with the gathering of the bones and minor assistance towards the cremation. Although she doesn’t seem to give much respect to them, as Drow would often use the remains of creatures to fashion up some nice daggers or weapon handles. In the process, she mentions to Rhasadilara at the absence of Lothar presence:
”Rhasadilara, would it be ok with you if I held on to one of the bone legs or a rib from the rib cage? It would fashion me a nice dagger! You may cremate the rest.”
Of course, now that Noriel wants something she is trying her seductive voice in persuasion, though with the elf it’s unlikely she will get far, rival enemies that is.
Noriel cringes at the mere thought of the words she was about to mention but figured that it would only aid in her joining the group officially.
”Typically, I wouldn’t suggest such a thing but if the undead warlord was this desperate to retrieve his sword, it may be wise to let him forever keep this enchanted sword. For we have released his physical form and the next time he returns it may be in a ghost like state, which would pose a greater threat to us! Hiring a worker to imbed the sword in the wall above his tomb and restore the crypt may be the most efficient way to restore balance. Open the tomb up and allow passage through it to admire such honor, perhaps we could even collect a few coin in his honor… of course we would need our share to maintain it…"
"Aye, but how ken we know wha might honor err dishonor tha dead an tha descendants o tha dead?"
"I say we honor tha tomb an hold it a restin place an keep tha sword in tha land o tha living."
Rhasadilara looks at Noriel for a long moment. Finally, she shakes her head slowly. "We know next to nothing about this man. He has been dead so long, his tribe is no longer in the area." She points at the opening to the barrow, adding "the tomb would not have been left in the state we found it if they continued to honor him. We have no way of finding those that could share the history, if anyone recalls it at all. It would hardly be a museum worth visiting."
"Besides, our role here is as leaders and protectors for the people here, not as merchants."
"As for the proper interment of the dead, the potential future of the sword, the possibility of a ghost pursuing the holder of the sword... I will defer to the servant of the Lady of Graves. I am most concerned that the black fog trap will continue to be a threat. The only workers I am interested in bringing here are those that will re-seal the tomb after the place the remains within once more or a mage that can destroy the trap once and for all."
Spent several rounds trying to see and or circumvent the magical trap....finally assumed it had disappeared....due to no longer seeing the gathering energies........
"Such a ring benefits anyone after tha proper attunement, but lets one who needs rest fer Spellcasting need less time."
Noriel is slightly disappointed at the response she received from the Elf, and makes her way to the exit of the cave, avoiding the trap in the center of the room.
”This is a soul un-resting, respect must be repaid.”
Mumbling something in Drow under her breath
” vharc uk yorn orthagyn!” –
On the way to the exit Noriel exclaims louder for everyone to hear.
”Either you respect the dead, or claim it under your power, little room for middle ground.”
Actually Noriel ideal situation is to reap the benefits of the monetary gain of such trivial establishment, but it appears that the goal of the group is more set on protection and guarding the lands.
”One does not realize that to protect what is sacred, one must first have coin to fuel their armies, or replenish their lost.”
Of course Noriel is showing a bit of her bad side, though she tries to maintain some form of modesty towards the group as to not ruin the only way she will reap larger rewards and improve her power to one day defeat her mother and the Drow kingdom for casting her out.
Jirani watches the proceedings with some amusement but darkens at Noriel's words, There is no path where death can be claimed. No power is great enough and it will always lead to doom. Folly is the mark of those who think that they can control that which my Lady reigns over.
Leaning on his polearm the paladin continues, I would ask that not one piece of this man be taken. Things touched by undeath can be used in fell rituals and are often tainted. It would be best not to risk it. As for the sword I have said my piece but will defer to the group as to whether it is taken or left behind.
"Magics pussiant enough against fey err rare talismans hard to create an tah come by, tha fey err strong in tha land, verily iffen an ancient warlord had need, then so might we."
It would seem that the evil power that marked this place is no more. Our task here is done, and The Wardens could not have accomplished this without your help, so on behalf of Barnabus, Golden Arm, and myself, many thanks are are offered. Like my partner, I also defer to the judgement of Jirani in these matters. If he feels the weapon should be taken and put to use, then let us take it and see that it is restored.
"Aye an so it is, Lothar choses tah ignore tha advice o brother Barnabus, jus because he wants tah do otherwise, whilst aving tha appearance o neutrality."
Barnabus pauses for a long while only breaking into laughter when someone speaks....
Noriel makes her way to the front of the cave where her heart questioning the motives of the newfound allies.
”Righteous as these people may seem, they have little room for balance. Although, there path is better than a dark one that I am so familiar with. Their belief in good may help me find a better balance from good and evil.”
Noriel runs her fingers through her hair as though to brush it without a comb, her body still radiating a large amount of Aether strands. Although, at the current moment it looks a little more like tinsel glinting off any light, but should she accept more Burn and suffer more damage her body will begin to cause larger effects around her. Thankfully, she is not at that point yet, and a good night’s rest will restore her to normal appearance. She was assuming that this adventure contained no reward accept a sword that could yield money, one she attempted to claim of her own, and displayed a minor furry of aggression about saving the crypt more out of the fact that she didn’t get to keep the sword.
Noriel waited at the entrance of the cave waiting for them to exit, keeping a watch out, although blatantly board. Noriel was exercising her Kinetic ability tossing rocks off into the distance, of course they were tiny pebbles.
”One, two… twelve, thirteen…sixteen…. I may have displayed my powers to aggressively so soon, I am sure they will cast me away as my own kind did.”
The thought of leaving the group crosses Noriel mind, scared of not being accepted when she has remained an outcast for a very long time.
Rhasadilara exits the barrow, a large bundle of bones in her arms. She looks around for an area that might lend itself to a pyre without causing a grassfire.
She calls back into the tomb, "Master Shores, is it possible that we might perform the ritual within the barrow? I fear any fire we start out here might burn all the way to Oleg's before it would finally run its course." She exaggerates, of course - the wind isn't blowing toward Oleg's at all, but the point is made.
To the half-drow that has assigned herself the watch, she asks, "I have failed to ask you how I should call you. You have certainly proven that you deserve the respect of being called by a name you prefer. I am glad you joined us for our task today. Perhaps you would consider working with us in the future, as well." She meets the other woman's eyes for the briefest moment, then turns back toward the tomb.
Jirani nods after Rhas, Of course, we can take every precaution. n fact if we were to do it over here... The paladin then indicates his ideas for safely dealing with the remains...