Raj rains a flurry of ineffective blows on the small skeleton in front of him and growls, "Maybe it's in the walls... but I'd like to find that flute and crush it, just in case."
By the way: you still don't need to make a Will save against the Piper's song. Go Lem! : )
Not that it mattered this turn... ; )
Karrik freezes in place. One. Two. Three long heartbeats pass -- his black eyes going ever wider and wider -- fear worming its way across his anger-twisted features.
---
Everything happened in an instant… in an eternity. The mayhem swirling around Karrik slows to a surreal crawl. Every fall of a blow. Every shout of a friend. Every path of a projectile traces its way through the air as if through a perfectly clear molasses. But Karrik's full attention cannot be pried from the Piper who -- despite the crawl of everything else -- advances at a terrifying and relentless pace. Karrik's mind -- on the brink of losing its tenuous grip on sanity -- is wrenched back to the present as three fingers of fire race diagonally across his face...
---
… the claws of the half-orc skeleton leave three shallow but blood-letting furrows. On a handsome man, it'd be tragic. On Karrik's ugly mug, the bleeding grooves actually add a certain something.
"THE PIPER'S HERE! he roars -- every shouted word is a rebellion against whatever fear nearly overwhelmed him heartbeats ago. "Steel your minds. That's his target. He came through the wall, attacked my mind, then vanished!"
Seeking a much-needed adrenaline outlet, Karrik savagely smashes the vial in his hand against the face of the half-orc skeleton as he barks out three orcish words, gesturing back down the hall with his morning star. "MOCH DAAN AKUUL!"
Theron's words settling in and seeing Karrik pull out his siphon having fended off the piper, Rose attempts to finish the skeleton next to her to help give him a chance to use it. She strikes out with her sword, then attempts to strike it with her magic, only to lose her concentration as she realizes the bind she's in.
Septimus curses under his breath - which seems to have about as much effect as his previous bomb. Well, at least he's at the top of the stairs - as good a position as one can possibly be when confronted with a veritable horde of undead and giant insects. Oh, and the apparently invisible shade of a long-dead psychopath.
Beats being tarred and feathered, anyhow.
He unlatches the lone remaining vial from his pack.
"Last one I've got! We're going to need to get creative!"
Squinting slightly, Septimus hurls his remaining bomb at the elf skeleton, hoping this one might strike more true. He then draws a curved blade of dubious origin from its scabbard, brandishing it in the direction of the group's foes. It might be time to try that concoction he had been working on these last few months...side effects be damned!
Walter turned to the skeleton ambling between him and Rose, watching as it lunged down on her. His fear quickly turned to indignation, and Walter reached out, grasping the creature's sharp spine in his hand. "Leave her alone!"
Nothing happened. With a shock, the creature reared back up and cut at the palm of his hand, and Walter took a step back as it turned to regard him with eyeless sockets and a rictus grin.
"I didn't mean it," he said quietly underneath its glare.
He lunged forward, rolled underneath its legs and scrambled up into the cell, knowing that standing in the corner would weigh heavily in the undead's favor. He regarded the fact that he was in a cell in a living evil prison, for a moment, and wondered if this was a wise place to be at all.
Karrik: nothing wrong, but using an oil/potion does draw an attack of opportunity.
The half-orc skeleton stands still for a moment...and then turns to face the human skeleton beside it.
###
Rose cleverly thrusts her blade deep into the skeleton's ribcage, then tilts it--the blade bends briefly, but then the skeleton's brittle ribs shatter and the skeleton's shoulder collapses, its left arm hanging all but useless by its side.
###
As Septimus' vial crashes into the breastbone of the elfish skeleton, a cascade of flame erupts into the nearby creatures. The elf skeleton collapses as the fire seemingly destroys its structure. The human skeleton in front of it is spattered with burning liquids that appear to be almost enough to undo whatever enchantment is keeping it going--but not quite. One of the stirges dextrously avoids the tongues of fire licking around it, but the other is not so agile.
###
Walter--you didn't include your flanking bonus (with Lem): you actually hit--and that's enough damage to destroy the skeleton. But your posts are so awesome I'm happy to let your results stand if you'd prefer. : )
(On the subject of threatening vs. nonthreatening, if Lem is still carrying his ceremonial aspergillum, that counts as a weapon.)
Dragomir stares into the empty eye sockets of the skeleton in front of him. Cloaking his mind in the words of Pharasma, he lifts his sword high and brings it down upon the undead beast.
Unfortunately his swing only glances off the creature's shoulder, causing little damage.
If it helps to move things along, I am happy to say the skeleton is too distracted to make any attacks of opportunity, whether it survives or not. After all, a small figure has just more-or-less somersaulted through its legs. ; )
As he wheeled around in the cell to face the skeleton, Walter lifted his longsword up, two-handed, trying to mimic a pose or stance he'd seen from Karrik once. Though, with his size, he was hardly as intimidating. He was about to say something very intimidating when he spotted what was happening.
As it raised an arm, he could see the entirety of its body suddenly blacken, like burning wood. Licks of flame erupted from its ribs, and like a bonfire collapsing, its entire body disintegrated into a pile of charcoal on the floor.
"Oh," he said, and raised his eyebrows. "Um... I'm sorry." He apologized to the skeleton and shuffled into its ashes.
Yep! All good. : )
Seeing that he still didn't have a clear shot at the skeleton that was trying to attack Lem, Theron decides to deal with the haunt itself. He had been hoping to save his haunt siphon, but this situation seemed dire enough to warrant it rather than using a simple disrupt undead spell.
He pulls out his haunt siphon from one of his pockets and quickly twists it open. Theron holds the object out as he sees the haunt's energy begin being sucked into it, "Take this you cursed spirit. You make think you have us, but we came prepared!"
Yep, it works fine:
Persistent haunts continue to trigger their haunt effects once per round on their initiative rank until destroyed or they no longer have a target.
To capture a haunt's energies within the haunt siphon, you need only twist the metal casing to open the vial in the same round that the haunt manifests...
So the haunt, being persistent, is manifesting every single round. So yes, you can use it now.
And yes, it does full damage.
###
As Theron twists the top off the vial, the prison walls creak, and seem to bow inwards as the ambient light darkens. There is an inhuman wail coming seemingly from everywhere and nowhere as swirls of vapour are drawn from the walls into the vortex that has formed at the mouth of the vial.
Then Theron slams the lid back home, cutting off the wailing. There is a shudder as the building settles back into place.
Then, there is a momentary silence.
The silence is broken by a long, drawn-out moan, and then an echoing voice proclaims:
Hai, copiii mei! Este timpul pentru renaşterea lumii!
(The distracting and unnerving music has stopped momentarily.)
The priest nods to Walter as he destroys the skeleton. He then draws another vial of holy water and tries to smash it into the Orcish skeleton's face, but his concentration is broken when the Varisian voice rings out, causing Lem to drop the vial.
This isn't over yet--he is calling forth his 'children', saying it's time for the world's rebirth. Let's show him otherwise...
Damn you all!!!
Dragomir. temporarily unable to recover from his ineffective attempt, and awkwardly placed to launch another swing, braces himself and drives his head into the skeleton in front of him.
(Plus any other mods if any... I think I get +1 from Lem?)
Damage
(Bludgeoning damage) (Plus any other mods if any... I think I get +1 from Lem?)
Lem: for a missed melee touch attack with a splash weapon I think we'll use the same rules as ammunition: 50% chance that it smashes when it hits the floor, basically.
###
Dragomir's post replaces mine:
Dragomir's headbutt smashes into the skeleton's grinning face and splinters its skull. Shards of bone fly and the skeleton totters for a moment, its clawed hands reaching out feebly, before it collapses to the floor with a clatter. Dragomir's face is caked in white bone dust.
###
###
Theron: there is no glow from the haunt siphon.
Then something else flicks past. You spin to see it--but it's gone, again.
A noise builds in your mind--the flapping of thousands of tiny wings, as the shapes keep showing up just outside your field of vision. You spin around, trying to spot them--they are creatures come to suck your body dry, to turn you into a desiccated husk and leave your body for the wildlife and the--
--as you turn, one more time you come face to face with the horrific ghostly visage of the Piper.
Rândul meu!(1) his voice reverberates in your skull as his omnipresent flock of ghostly stirges descends toward you.
(1)"My turn!"
Make a Will save, DC 14. This is not a sonic- or language-based effect, so you can’t use Lem’s roll.
If you succeed: the Piper’s apparition dissipates with a frustrated wail, just as the stirges are about to reach you. You find yourself shaken (not the condition, just the emotional state!) but none the worse for wear.
If you fail: the terror invoked within your mind by the inexorable approach of the Piper and his stirges is too much for you to bear, and you find yourself paralysed by fear. (This time you are subject to the paralyzed condition.) You may make a new Will save (DC 14) as a full round action on your turn.
Pass or fail, I’d love it if you could describe what the others see—only you can see the Piper’s spectre.
The piper's music resumes, but it seems a little more distant...
Thus endeth Round 2.
###
Team Skeleton
Half-orc skeleton #1 strikes out at Lem in retaliation for the attempted dousing in holy water.
The skeleton manages to grab Lem's left wrist and twists it at an awkward angle. Lem yelps in pain.
---
The halfling skeleton lashes out at Raj.
But it seems the scarred Varisian's watchful defence is too much for the creature to penetrate.
---
Karrik watches as the skeleton--now under his control--claws at the one next to it.
---
Unfortunately the blow doesn't do enough damage to faze the other skeleton--which presses its attack on Rose, heedless of the new threat.
Its attacks go wide.
###
Team Stirge
The stirges in the passageway near the mess hall continue to flutter about.
Unfortunately for Septimus, from behind him, the three stirges that flew out the gaping hole in the wall fly straight in through the window, squeezing through the bars before attacking him.
One gets caught on the bars and has to use a second move action to free itself and move into the room.
Septimus, you are now grappled. The stirge inserts its proboscis into your shoulder and drains your blood, causing 1 point of Constitution damage.
###
Team PC's Turn
Have at it!
Hold onto your hats.
Human Skeleton #1: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Human Skeleton #2: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Human Skeleton #3: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Human Skeleton #4: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Half-orc Skeleton #1: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Half-orc Skeleton #2: Healthy and friendly---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Halfling Skeleton: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Elf Skeleton: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Stirge #1: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Stirge #2: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Stirge #3: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Stirge #4: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Stirge #5: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
Stirge #6: Healthy---Bruised---Wounded---Near Death---Unconscious---Bleeding Out---Dead
The Piper of Illmarsh: Honestly I'm not sure you should be able to tell with precision. ; )
For reference, AC ratings in normal/touch/flat-footed order:
- Human skeleton #4: 15/13/12
- Half-orc skeletons: 13/11/12
- Halfling skeleton: 15/14/12
- Stirges: 16/16/12
- Grappled stirge #4: --/--/12 (despite the rules saying it's grappled, it also loses its Dex bonus to AC, so becomes grappled and flat-footed, as far as I can tell)
No shield spell, but you do have protection from evil thanks to Walter. : )
EDIT: <hugs Hero Lab> : D
Lem nearly collapsed from the pain, but had nowhere to run.
Walter, fall back...
He then steadied himself, gritted his teeth, clutched his holy symbol, and intoned a prayer to Desna, weaving it into his sermon effortlessly.
Lady, give me strength, that I may endure even the horrors of this place.
His voice hardened, and he spoke with grim authority.
The Piper has been silenced--now bring down his minions!
At first Theron had been giving his haunt siphon a disappointed look, when suddenly, he begins looking around wildly, as if trying to find something that is in the corner of his eye. Soon the inquisitor stops and looks at the wall. For a moment he stares before he grits his teeth together and speaks with visible effort, "...your tricks... WON'T WORK ON A SERVANT OF IOMEDAE."
He glares at the wall for another moment before spinning around in Lem's direction. "He hasn't been silenced yet! Get someplace safe!" He says before casting a spell, hoping that he can hit the skeleton despite having to shoot over the halfling.
Frustrated, Raj throws a poor punch with his brass knuckles but makes up for it by driving his fang into the halfling skeleton's eye-socket. Bones crunch and rattle around in the empty skull.
While the thief is pleased he's harmed the creature, the reduced efficacy of the blade makes him re-think his approach. Might be time to lean on the knucks alone.
Rose can hear a soft whisper coming up from just behind her-- "Watch out!"-- just in time to avoid a ragged hand swiping for her face.
Walter, fall back...
"Not yet!" he shouted in response, and charged forward.
He attempted to weave his steps past the skeleton, to try to come up from behind, but luck turned against him at the last second. It reared left when he feinted right, and he ended up leaping for cover, rolling to escape a blow and ending up where he'd started-- only now, with a glancing blow to show for his trouble. He was really starting to beat himself up, and be beaten up himself, for not asking Karrik or Rajuna to help him pick out a chain shirt that could provide protection for his soft and fluffy scholarly bits. Walter bled a little in the interim it took his thoughts to catch up with the rhythm of combat.
His heart was beating too hard to say anything. Instead, he imagined what the skeleton would look like burned to tiny, tiny pieces.
-
Flame engulfed it from arm's reach, like someone had set a match to tinder. It struck him suddenly that burning them with fire was a cruel punishment for someone who'd died in a conflagration, and he quietly apologized again, under his breath.
Move to J8... pass through Rose, move through K7, pass through our bony friend and then move to L8
Karrik switches tactics, bringing his morningstar to bear on the human skeleton harassing Rose. Despite the blood running across his face -- threatening to block his vision -- Karrik exults in the rush of combat as the morningstar smashes down squarely onto the skeleton's head and neck. As he fights, he continues to roar out orders in orc to his new undead servant, gesturing with his siphon-holding hand.
Then he continues shouting, now in Taldan, "Walter! Lem! Anyone able to help Septimus with these stirges out in the hall?!"
I'm on it!, bellows Dragomir as he careens through the carnage and into the midst of the stirges.
Septimus has but a moment to savor the horrific glow of his handiwork - his eyes lit up with a disturbing glee as his bomb explodes gloriously around his foes - before the stirges are upon him.
The alchemist brandishes his sickle at the bat-sized mosquitoes, knowing he has been caught too off-guard for it to do any good. The glistening probisci of the foul creatures jab the air around him, and, finally, one finds its mark.
"Gah!" spits Septimus, swatting at the stirge to no effect. Latched tight. Of course it is. It's a stirge, idiot!
Septimus's tried and true defense mechanism takes hold. "Had I been allowed to drink this morning, at least we could count on the stirges passing out after attacking me," he says. Then, as if the bug might be struck dumb by his wit, the alchemist attempts a twist and roll, squirming and contorting to shake free of its hold.
[Fang damage]: 2d4 + 6 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (2, 1) + 6 + 2 - 5 = 6
Raj, I think you're adding your full strength bonus to off-hand strikes--which you can't do until you get the Double Slice feat. Total damage should be 2 points (unless the brass knuckles are on your off hand).