Once the three heroes take in the scene in front of them, they only have a moment to decide what the next strategy will be, as the skeletons begin to take notice of their arrival
Kiril sets the girl down off his shoulders
"Kids, over here! These ones explode when they die, get behind us and stay well back!"
He'll ready his maul and try to bodily intercept any skeletons that chase after the kobolds.
Brunar hurries to the woman with Flint and tries to determine if she needs a heal or just water in the face to bring her to.
Brunar does look up during his diagnoses to see what the skeletons are doing so he is not surprised by their actions.
Flint shouts out to the kobold kids. "Whatever it is, bring it here! Bring these piles of burning bones to US!"
Flint will shield Brunar, attacking any skeleton that approaches the dwarf with his club.
bludgeoning damage
Brunar watches Flint to make sure he is safe and the skeletons all attack him while he tries to get the woman on her feet, and safer with Kiril.
Round 1…
Flint runs to put himself between three skeletons and the kobold woman on the ground, while Brunar drops to one knee beside her and takes a quick look at her. Flint swigs his weapon wildly to try and keep the skeletons back. He does not hit one of the monsters, and they begin to close in around him. He is only a few feet from Brunar and the kobold woman who is unconscious, and if one of them should explode here it could be very dangerous.
Kiril calls the children to him, and about half of them hear his voice and recognize him, turning from where they are and looking for a safe way to get to him.
One nearby kobold child comes darting around a column and runs to join the girl Kiril has set down from his shoulders, and then a dwarven skeleton comes close on the child’s heels, but Kiril is quick to step forward and cut the skeleton’s path.
Brunar can see that the Kobold woman has taken a blow to the top of her head, there is blood, but it looks like her skull is not fractured. She is unconscious, and will probably not wake without a long rest and care, or a simple healing spell.
Round 2 Initiative
Brunar quickly lifts her up across his shoulders (fireman's lift/carry) and makes the attempt to get her out of explosion range or behind cover in time.
Kiril shoves the skeleton as soon as it gets close.
Flint swings at one of the skeletons engaging with him.
As the skeleton closes in on Kiril, the big man drops a shoulder and lunges forward plodding ahead against any injuries he tries to shove the skeleton back into the main chamber, away from the children
Kiril moves the Skeleton back five feet to the other side of a column.
Off to the right Brunar lifts the slight framed kobold woman from the floor and puts her gently over his shoulder, keeping his eyes front and on the scene unfolding ahead of him, he backs away from the advancing skeletons as quickly as he can, soon he reaches the back wall, and the kobold children run to surround him, but to his surprise two more skeletons are coming toward him from the far right, when suddenly a slim, but tall for her kind Kobold girl, shouts from near a door against the west wall
I’ve got the key and I’m going to open the door!
The two skeletons stop, turn slowly, and shuffle quickly toward the girl.
Looking from one to another of the skeletons around him, Flint strikes out but he is sizing up too many opportunities at once, and his attack does not connect.
The three attackers move in against flint, while the skeleton that was moved back by Kiril strikes at him again
Flint is hit, but Kiril leans back at the last moment and avoids the blow
Round 3...
Kiril – takes 6 damage (24)
Round 2
Flint - takes 4 damage (23)
Round 3…
Separated and desperate at the moment, the party seems confused, as the skeletons take the initiative.
Flint and Kiril are struck again
Kiril – takes 6 damage (24)
Round 2
Flint – takes 4 damage (23)
Round 3
Kiril - takes 8 damage (16)
Flint - takes 7 damage (16)
Bonus:
Realizing there are too many exploding skeletons around to either get out uninjured or even alive, Brunar takes a step just behind Flint and lifts his holy symbol aloft, "Goddess Yerina Silver Hand, rebuke these undead abominations so we can save innocent souls today. In yer great name!"
Confused, for now flint takes the DODGE ACTION (disadv to any enemy targeting me) since he's attracted too much attention from the skeletons, and watches to see what the others are trying to accomplish while he dodge-tanks.
Kiril moves up to the skeleton he shoved and smashes at it with his maul.
"Kids! Why do the skeletons care about the key- Wait... QUICK! Get to safety!" he says, urging all of the kobolds to fall back out of the room. "Then we should do the same." he mutters to Brunar and Kiril, not thinking the three of them can deal with 8 exploding skeletons with so much confusion and bystanders in the way.
"Everyone! TO THE DOORS!" he yells out, before moving to the kobold with the key, and ushering her out of the room while putting himself between her and any skeletons.
(Dodging while I do so, unless moving the kobold requires an action)
Brunar heads to the door closest to the unconscious Kobold woman to help her out.
Round 4…
Kiril rushes at the skeleton he shoved back, but the monster’s retreat is faster than he is, and before his blow has a chance of landing the monster is fleeing away from him
Meanwhile, Flint shouts out a question, and then immediately orders the kobold children to flee to the door behind him, where Brunar is already scooping up the kobold woman from the ground.
The young female kobold who had called out that she had, The key comes flying at Flint, and says, out of breath
I don’t have the key. I was only saying that to keep the skeletons away from Lady Onna. She gave the key to Torry.
She intends to keep moving past Flint, but the Halfling stops her.
Oh, the key, she says It normally hangs on a hook on the wall, there, she points to the wall where Brunar is lifting Lady Onna. It opens the door, back there she points behind herAnd that door goes to the level below, where there are dwarven secrets. I don’t know why they want to go there, but that seems to be what they were after all along
The Skeletons flee to the south area of the catacomb, all but one, which wears a suit of armor made of plates and chain, and carries a large metal shield, and an extra-large axe.
This Skeleton closes in on Kiril, as Flint turns and pulling the kobold girl by the arm, runs to catch up with Brunar, as the rest of the kobold children also come running. The door to the east still stands open
Kiril is hit again
Kiril – takes 6 damage (24)
Round 2
Flint – takes 4 damage (23)
Round 3
Kiril – takes 8 damage (16)
Flint – Takes 7 damage (16)
Round 4
Kiril - takes 3 damage (13)
Kiril will make sure everyone makes it through the door, tells them to stand well back so they'll be clear of any explosion, then stands beside Flint to help block the door, reading his maul for an attack on the first skeleton to get close. Or a shove, if there's still kids nearby.
Flint will fall in beside Kiril after guiding the kids to safety, making sure if any explosions happen then he and Kiril will be the ones to take those dangers.
He assists Kiril on any shoves or attack rolls.
Taking a quick look at his friends, they seem to be healthy enough and he falls back with the woman behind Flint to keep his fellows alive and guard the children and woman. He stands sideways so he can watch both. In addition, he acts as extra shielding for the woman and children by quickly changing his stance and lifting up his shield. "Aye, I'm guardin' thee younglings, lass, and ready to heal you both. Yell if u need anythin'?!"
Flint and Brunar wrangle the frighten children back through the door while Kiril keeps the last skeleton willing to press the attack at bay.
Once Brunar is beyond the door, and out of sight of the rest of the Skeletons, they seem to recover from their turmoil, and regroup, looking as if they are intending to come at the barbarian in force.
As the door closes, Flint rushes to take a stand next to Kiril, a stand that very well could be his last.
Meanwhile, Brunar tries to rouse the unconscious kobold matron, and at the same time calm the frightened children that crowd all around him asking him if they are going to die, or if they will be alright.
The heavily armed skeleton approaches Flint and Kiril, menacingly…
"You want the kobolds? Over my dead f!@!ing body," Kiril growls as the skeleton approaches, raising his maul.
Brunar prays, "Yerina, please send fore yer hammer to smite thee evil that menaces' yer priest and those in his care", while holding out his holy symbol, light shines forth to form a spectral Dwarven hammer in front of him. He holds his free attack round to see if a skeleton comes to threaten him and those he protects.
Flint stays in position and continues to try and feint attack the Skeletons, and getting in their way, giving Kiril Advantage (To any attack roll or skill check he needs to make on his turn that he can assist with)
Just as the heavy armored skeleton comes within striking distance of Kiril, his heavy maul is swinging into action.
The blow smashes the skeleton’s head to smithereens, and then the room is filled with a fiery explosion
The blast tears through the ranks of the other skeletons, knocking heads lose, and tearing bones apart leaving nothing but armor and weapons where the boney threats once stood.
The blast sends a rush of hot air at the door between Brunar and his friends, slamming it shut, leaving the dwarf to wonder if the big man and small Halfling survived, while in his arms the Kobold woman comes around, coughs a bit, and then blinks once or twice. She looks up at Brunar with a smile, and lets out a long sigh.
Kiril doesn't even move to avoid the explosion, grunting as the blast hits him then searching for more enemies. Seeing the skeletons are in pieces, he looks to see if Flint survived the blast. "You still alive down there?" Then calls out behind him "Everyone okay? Brunar?"
Flint momentarily steps behind kiril to avoid most of the explosion.
"im good." he says, before opening the door to Brunar. "all the skellies are gone. I think we're safe."
Brunar holds up his shield before the blast closes the doors just in case any of it made it past the doors. When he looks up to see the doors save the kids, injured woman, and himself from the blast, he was partially elated but worried about his comrades before he heard Kiril shout out and Flint opened the door, "Thank ya Yerina for yer Mercy!"
Brunar smiles back at the woman before nodding to Flint and replies, "Aye! So far, all secure out here and the woman has come to. Any of you need healin'?"
Brunar keeps his Spectral Dwarven Hammer active.
As Brunar asks if the other men are hurt, the children around him begin shouting in excitement, whooping, and cheering.
The skeletons have all been destroyed, and the Kobold children and their teacher are all safe.
The ghosts of the dwarven heroes that were pushing the skeletons back from Brunar drift back toward their crypts and toward the walls of the catacomb, and then vanish.
Kiril pats Flint's back and goes to see the kobolds. "Alright, let's get all of you back home."
He'll escort them back to safety.
Brunar hails his ancestors as they return to the after life. "Aye, let's get'em all home safe!" Brunar follows behind and continues to help the teacher if she needs help. He keeps his spectral hammer following behind them until the spell expires. As the group makes there way back to safety, Brunar notices Kiril and Flint are pretty injured and maybe others too so he issues a prayer, "Great Yerina heal me friends with yer healin' touch"
White light spreads forth from Brunar to Kiril healing all those Brunar wants to heal as the light passes by them for .
Flint grins at Kiril's back pat, and responds with a sharp jab to the half-orc's thigh. (You're four feet taller than Flint! He can't reach your back. xD)
He follows along with the group, his eyes fierce again with Brunar's healing bringing new energy. "So, Brunar. How the heck did you summon up ancient dwarf ghosts?!" Flint says with interest, thinking of how to turn it into a tale.
Brunar smiles as he sees Yerina's healing light healing those most in need and refreshing them from their injuries. He looks towards the ceiling with a smile silently thanking Yerina. He looks to Flint after he hears his name, "It changes every time me friend, I am guessin' since we were in a Dwarven Tomb, Yerina saw it fitting to send me fallen brethren to repel the skeletons."
Brunar’s prayer does little to stifle the children’s excitement at being amongst such great heroes, and even adds a bit to their volume. The healing nature of the prayer soothes Kiril’s burns and restores both him and Flint to full vigor.
The children begin to sing a song about the heroes (Flint recognizes it as a traditional Kobold song of heroes and their deeds, the children are just changing the names and substituting different events for the chorus). The teacher seems weak, but alert and allows herself to be supported by two of the children. She thanks the men profusely, then asks, when the party is near the edge of the Kobold Hovel’s regular rooms and shops
Did we lose the key? Have we forgotten it? I gave it to one of the boys< but I don’t remember if he is one of you here now. Who has the key?
"Yeaaah, where IS that key?" Flint says, stroking his chin. "If it had been hung up on the wall like she said... Wouldn't the skeletons have noticed it?"
Flint looks at Brunar. "You were closest to that wall, did you see a key?"
Brunar looks at the children and then to Flint when he asks him about the key, "Nay, thee teacher said wun of the lads had it. Aren't all the lads and lassies here?"
Brunar looks right, then his hand moves to his pocket, and pulls out a key, "Oh wait, unless this is thee key? The poor lad that had thee key unfortunately didn't make it and we have to properly bury him some time or bless his grave at a more appropriate time."
"Gettin old," Kiril comments as they go.
Brunar smiles and nods, "Perhaps, you are on to somethin'?"
Brunar looks at the teacher, "Aye, any chance Miss, do ye know why thee foul beats want to get in thee room requirin' the key? Is there somethin' we should retrieve from it to keep it safe? Also, are we puttin' you all at risk by keepin' the key close to you?"
"Yeah, what's the deal? All the skeleton's I've crunched up so far just seem to kinda be... LURKING in old empty rooms, and I don't think ANY of them have been on fire!"
Flint says, stalling when he hear's Brunar's question where he had been ready to follow Kiril.
Well Onna says shrugging*The key unlocks the door to a level below the crypt. Normally, most warrens, like ours, are connected to other warrens by long underground passages, or sometimes even magic portals. The level below that crypt is protected by powerful spells. There is only one way to get there, and one way out, and that is that one door.
She keeps walking slowly, back in the direction of the Kobold hovel, and as you get closer you see other Kobolds are already cleaning up from the attack, some are even wheeling small wheel-barrows along the passageways filled with debris, broken door pieces, burnt pieces of wood, and other unrecognizable items.
We placed the key on a hook by the door many years ago, when it was found in the rubble of one of the houses on the outskirts of the town above. We never gave it much thought, but occasionally, skeletons, zombies, or vampires, from the mountain, come here with a real purpose of getting their hands on that key. I really don’t know why, I don’t think anyone in the warren does either, but if I had to guess, it would be for one of two reasons. First, there must be something in those rooms below the crypt they are after, or second, the key must be able to unlock some other door, probably in the mountain.
She stops, tilts her head sideways, and then finishes with saying, But, it’s a bit odd that they never do get the key, but I don’t know why we protect it so well. I think it must be enchanted or something, otherwise we would have let them have it years ago.
Kiril watches the wheel-barrows pass, frowning, as he listens.
"Just give us the f%%!in' key then. At least they'll be after us instead of you and the kids. We're set on killing all the bastards anyway."