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Erius, Illiana, & Remy:As Remy's head snaps around toward the trees, listening, you suddenly hear a cry for help from further in the trees. The three figures begin to move more quickly, apparently following the voice.
Several long seconds pass, as the figures continue to move. Erius runs off into the trees towards the pursuing figures. Meanwhile, Illiana and Remy move closer to and around the copse, trying to get a better picture of the situation.
A man dressed in leathers, wearing a festival mask in the shape of a wolf, comes running around the edge of the copse. He wields a kukri in each hand and sports bloody wounds on the neck and leg. From behind him, exiting the treeline, comes a skeleton, yellowed bones clattering as it rushes to catch the man. Two more can be seen in the trees, with Erius moving up fast upon them.
Ren is running, relieved to see people ahead rather than more of the undead. He sees one of the figures hurl a silvery dagger that spins past him at amazing speed. It strikes the skeleton, shattering the sternum and cracking through the spine, felling it.
One of the skeletons turns on the closing Erius, while the other continues its pursuit of Ren. The first moves to meet Erius, clawing at him, but he evades its strike by throwing himself to one side.
The other angles its way out of the trees this round. It is able to move within striking distance of Ren, emerging from the trees to his right.
Iliana advances, moving to the right of Erius and swinging her club in a wide arc. The blow connects with the side of the skeleton's skull, shattering it. The bones collapse.
With his nearest opponent down, Erius takes two and a half strides, then brings his staff around, up, and then down hard on the next skeleton's skull, splitting it down the middle and sending the skeleton into a heap at his feet.
Remy nearly overshoots the skeleton entirely, overextending his swing as he skids to a halt. The skeleton turns on him and swings its claws at him.
Unfortunately, his charge leaves him unbalanced and open to attack. As he attempts to square himself against his opponent, the skeleton catches him across the back and shoulder with one strike, then across the midsection with the second, leaving many ragged, bloody tears in its their wake.
Erius weaves through the trees, coming up on the skeleton and boxing it in. As he steps in he brings his staff down in an arc and connects with the skeletons collarbone, shattering it and the shoulder. The skeleton collapses, leaving the four of you, some wounded, facing each other over the remains of your final enemy.
Considering the influx of folk to the inn, which alerted Ren to the danger, it seems likely that most of the runners managed to escape unscathed. Examining the landscape, he notes two likely areas for refuge, assuming passage back into the village was blocked:
1) There is a stream near here that runs fast and deep. Crossing it, or taking refuge on any rocks or small islands could be a possibility. These walking piles of bare bones seem ill-equipped for swimming.
2) Further off are a stand of horse chestnuts. They have lower hanging branches and could afford a person an easier climb to escape than the trees in the immediate area.
Illiana: These skeletons are old, yellowed, and have dirt clinging to them. Their state seems to indicate that they were not buried in coffins, but rather directly in the earth. They have no remnants of armor or clothing upon them. You do note that one has cuts in in two concurrent ribs. Another has a gold piece sized hole in the skull. This damage appears old and does not coincide with your weapons.
Remy:You concentrate and get faint auras of magic lingering about the bones, but no other sources show within the range of your spell.
The lot of you head for the stream, hearing the water before it actually comes in sight. As you reach its banks, you can see several large rocks scattered in its flow, though none appear to be harboring survivors, nor are there any on the other bank.
A bit further downstream is a small island, perhaps ten or twelve feet across and some twenty to thirty feet long, covered in scrub and a few trees. It appears possible to hop from rock to rock to reach it.