Jed sighs. "Of course." He pulls his new pistol and fires into the nearest saber wielding skeleton, letting Drake handle the gunner.
Dom growls and heads right for the nearest skeleton. He leads his attack with a saber slice and follows with a dagger thrust.
As the skeletons rattle to attention, Drake swings back behind the door and fires off a shot. The bullet flies past his target, though, and ricochets off the stone walls with a loud clang. Jed has more luck with his own pistol shot, blowing apart one of the ribs on the nearest of the undead creatures. Dom follows the shot with a slash of his saber and a thrust of his dagger, the former being more effective--the blade bites into the collarbone of the skeleton, sending cracks across the yellowed bone.
The skeleton, however, is still standing, and it slashes back at Dom with its own sword. Dom attempts to block the attack, but the skeleton seems skilled in an older form of swordplay, and a slash slips through to draw a thin line of red across Dom's ribcage. At the same time, the other saber-wielding skeleton steps forward to engage him, and its blade catches him along one leg. The skeleton with the flintlock pistol raises it and aims at Drake, and the shot fires with a roar and a puff of smoke. The bullet only slams into the door, though, blowing splinters into Drake's face but not causing any real damage.
Siann watches as Drake works the door, then her eyes open in amazement when the former scions of this estate rise from thier rest and attack!
She heard stories of the dead walking before but never really gave them credence, but her her eyes did not decieve her.
Giving her head a shake as the other's weapons boom in the small confines of the crypt, she leaps to help batter the skeletons back into oblivion.
But....she was so unnerved by the grinning teeth of the skeletons, her aim went awry.
Drake flinches back when the bullet slams into the door and sends the wood chips flying into his face. He leans out around the door again and takes another shot, this time at one of the skeletons harrying Dom; having seen both him and Jed attack the creature, he figures it must be on its last legs. "Take a step back, get out of there!" he says to Dom, gesturing for him to retreat from the skeletons before they box him in.
Jed calmly aims again and fires at the same skeleton, planning to take the thing down before it hurts anyone else.
Dom reels as he gets sliced into. And when he hears Drake's shout to step back, he'd love nothing more than to comply. But he doesn't like the idea of abandoning Simon, so he continues his onslaught by trying to finish off his original target.
He spins right and then left, his weapons slicing into his enemy.
Siann comes out of the door swinging, but the leering eyes and bony grins of the skeletons are unnerving. Tales of such abominations are still whispered in the Old World, but dark magic of this kind isn't often seen in those more civilized lands. Out here on the frontier, though... well, it isn't common, thank the gods, but the stories are usually set a little closer to home. Whatever the case may be, the young woman's sword and foot don't quite connect.
Drake's second shot does, however, and it blows straight through the already damaged monster's spine--the skeleton jerks, and then collapses to the ground, its bones shattering to dust as the magic that held it together fades away. Dom spins to attack the other creature by him, not wanting to leave Simon alone, and while the skeleton blocks his saber with its own, he lashes in with his dagger, drawing a deep gouge across its skull. Jed brings up his rifle and fires as the undead stumbles back, and it staggers directly into the bullet, its skull powdering moments before the rest of the bones collapse.
The final skeleton, were it truly alive, might take the opportunity for self-preservation. But being a mindless undead creation, it simply pulls a charge of powder from its pocket and begins reloading its pistol, oblivious to the danger it now faces.
Dom leaps in the air and slices down at the skeleton with his blades.
"And stay down, damn it!"
As Dom jumps forward to attack the last skeleton, Drake also steps out and takes another shot at the skeleton now that Dom's assailants are dealt with.
Dom leaps forward as the skeletons about him collapse, and he brings his blades forward with savage fury. They chop heavily into the skeleton's chest, and with a little pressure, the bones give. They clatter to the floor, where they break into smaller pieces and fade to dust among the rest of the room. For a moment, the party can breathe easy, as the threat is dealt with.
In that aftermath, though, just as the posse starts to drop their guard, Drake and Siann catch a tiny noise and a flicker of motion--the wooden door opening slightly, with a barrel of a pistol poking through. A moment later it's flung wide, and everyone can spot a pair of Redbrands pressed to the walls just inside the doorway, one firing out at the posse! As Drake steps from behind the splintered door, he feels a hot streak of pain across one forearm, and the twang of a bullet ricochet echoes after the explosion of the gunshot!
Drake
Siann let out a long breath as the final skeleton fell to pieces, and was just about to make a quip to Dom when she sees the door open and the two Redbrands who had snuck up on them!
Leaping forward , her sword and fist strike out at the nearest brigand...
With the gunshot still ringing in his ears, Dom runs past the doors. And once he's on the other side he lets loose on one of the bandits with his weapons.
After gritting his teeth when the bullet bit into his arm, Drake whips out his hunting knife and goes after the Redbrands with it in hand; while Dom rushes past the doors Drake opts to simply kick through it and come through with a swing of his blade for the nearest assailant.
"This is getting old real fast." Jed turns and readjusts his aim to deal with the new arrivals.
He promptly fires on the nearest bandit. They can burn for all he cares.
The posse responds to the Redbrands' ambush with swift action. Siann rushes into the room, sword and fist leading the way, and the surprised shooter is unable to dodge back or defend himself from her assault. Her sword catches mostly clothing, not flesh, but he takes a heavy blow to the jaw that staggers him back against the wall. He's still trying to recover as Dom enters the room, and his saber plunges into the man's chest, where it removes what life he has left.
Drake steps to the doorway, but it's a little tight trying to get inside the room at this point, with three people and a corpse right at the entrance. He swings his knife, but can't connect with the remaining Redbrand. Jed's shot is similarly plagued by difficult maneuvering, and the remaining ruffian has time to... throw down his gun and fall on his knees, his hands raised. "Please, don't kill me! I swear it, I won't hurt nobody, never again!"
The long room the posse now occupies is divided into three sections, partitioned by old iron jail bars walling off a section on each end. Filthy straw lines the floor of those cells, the doors of which are secured by chains and padlocks. Two disheveled human women huddle in one cell--one about middle age, the other a young woman--and a human boy, perhaps thirteen, is in the other. All are dressed in plain, rough tunics, with iron collars around their necks, and though they can plainly see you, they don't speak up, their eyes filled with fear. Against the wall outside the cells is a heap of clothing, along with a pair of wooden chairs.
"Disgusting," Jed growls as he looks around the prison room. He looks down at the cowering outlaw with burning eyes. "You better start talkin' real quick. Because if you don't have something very useful to tell me, I'm going to splatter your brains all over the floor and be done with you."
Drake, without missing a beat, strides up to the man and clasps the Redbrand's shirt with his fist, pulling him up from his knees and pinning the man to the wall. He leans in close with his knife in hand, staring the Redbrand and waits to speak until the man turns his head away in fear. "Where's the rest of your crew?" Drake asks, his face inches from their captive. "There were too many weapons to just be for you two and your pals at the Sleeping Giant... so I know there's more of you." Drake presses the knife against the man's neck until a thin line of blood trickles down his neck. "And while you're at it, where're the keys to those cells? You have five seconds."
Dom goes up to the prisoners and tells them.
"It's going to be okay. My name's Dom. We're here to help. Did any of you notice if they had a key for the locks or collars?"
"I don't have them! Glasstaff, he's got the keys!" The bandit nearly blubbers as he hurries to get the words out, keeping his eyes focused on Jed's gun. "We, we just guard 'em, you know?" He glances at Drake when the man puts a knife to his throat, and fights against a gulping swallow. "He's got a room further in. Past the eye thing and the bugbears--oh, one of them has keys, too! And others of us... there are supposed to be three guarding the entrance, but I guess you killed them already. Just don't do me the same! I beg ya, don't do me like them!" At this point, his words devolve to sniveling protests and repeated requests not to kill him. Another specific question might get more out of him.
The prisoners, for their part, remain frightened and quiet for a while, but once it's apparent the new arrivals are more interested in questioning the bandits--and Dom offers help--the older woman nods slowly and gives a weak smile. "Thank you. I'm Myra Dender. My husband... they shot him." She looks down for a few seconds, and when her eyes come back up they're tinged with tears. "I didn't see a key. I think their leader has it."
Siann enters with the others and just glares at the surviving bandit, her look changing to one of contempt as he turns into a blubbering fool.
She crouches next to the Widow Dender, "We'll get the key and get you out of there, just hold tight until we return."
She moves up close to the bandit, hissing in his ear, "Glasstaff, the bugbear...where are they, and how many more idiots like you are there?"
"Then I suppose we need to go pay their leader a visit, don't we?" Jed says, calmly reloading his guns. "The sooner the better." He meaningfully waves his gun in the surrendered bandit's face. "Answer the man's question."
The prisoners, for their part, remain frightened and quiet for a while, but once it's apparent the new arrivals are more interested in questioning the bandits--and Dom offers help--the older woman nods slowly and gives a weak smile. "Thank you. I'm Myra Dender. My husband... they shot him." She looks down for a few seconds, and when her eyes come back up they're tinged with tears. "I didn't see a key. I think their leader has it."
"We'll get the key. Don't worry about that. In the meanwhile, take this."
Dom pulls out two packs of rations and his canteen and hands it over to Myra. He then takes out one of the captured revolvers, loads it with ammunition, and hands it to her as well.
"We will be back. But just in case."
• 17 revolver bullets
• 7 days of rations
When the man snivels and stops speaking, Drake knees the man in the stomach before pulling him by the shirt collar and tossing him to the ground. He plants his knee on the man's chest and holds the knife against his neck again, his other hand pinning the man's arm to the ground beside him. "Bugbears? How many... and what is this 'eye thing'? Tell me more about that, and your boss Glasstaff." When Jed waves his pistol in the man's face, Drake pokes a little harder with the blade of his knife. "Now, or I'll start bleddin' you dry while I keep you alive t'feel it. Understand?"
The Redbrand keeps on sniffing and sniveling, but he does answer the questions. "There's, there's four more, in the common room in back! The bugbears are further in, past the eye thing, there's three of them, too! It's right next door..." He pauses, catching his breath, and lets a yelp as Drake tosses him down. "I don't know what the hell it is! It's got a big eye and it's always whispering, like it's in your head. I stay the hell away from it!" He coughs and sniffs and holds back a sob. "Glasstaff's the boss. He's got magic, and he's smart. Has powerful friends--"
Here, the bandit cuts himself off, as if realizing he's said something he shouldn't have. Any pressure, even the slightest, causes him to keep spilling his guts, though. "I don't know nothing! All I know is he's called the Black Scorpion, and he hired us to take the town and keep out adventurin' types. He's the one sent the bugbears! I don't know nothing more!"
When the bandit pauses, Drake slams his fist into the man's stoamch, and then watches him closely when he continues to speak. "Black Scorpion? Well, that's a name if I've ever heard one." Drake hauls the man to his feet, still pulling him by the shirt collar, and slams the knife back into its sheath. "I'm not afraid of your boss, understand? He might have magic, but I've got magic and a gun. Stacks the odds in my favor a bit, if'n you ask me. Now, you've been real helpful there, and I reckon that means I probably shouldn't kill ya. That hasn't stopped me much before..." he says, thumbing his revolver in its holster. "No, I've got a better idea. You're comin' with us," Drake says, stepping closer to the Redbrand again. "You d̴i̕s͝o͘be̡y҉ a ҉şin͝g͡le͝ ͝th̨ing͝ ͏I ͟s͘ay͏,̴ ͡Ì'͜m g͘on̨n̵a ma͘k̶e y͏ou̕ ͢súf̢fer͟. ͘Yo͏u m͠a̛k̶e ̵a̕ m̡o͝v҉ę ̶or͘ ̵şa̛y͡ ͝on͝e͝ damnèd ̷thin̡ǵ I͏ do̧n̵'t̨ t̴el̢l ̢y͢o͢u̸ t͏o, ̡a͡nd͟ I'̕ĺl͘ b͡l̸o͏w o͢ut ̡yo͢u̧r͠ ͏k͡neec̛a͟ps͝ and ͢haul͜ ̧yo͟ur͡ ̴so̢rry ̵a̛ss ͏ou̡t̢ ̶in͠to͘ t̕he d͜ęs͢e̕rt ͟an̨d̀ wa͠tch̴ ̴t̢he ͏coyote̢s̛ e͘a̸t ̶y̛o̶u a̢ĺivę. ͏W̶e ͞c͝l͟e͝ar͟, b̛u͢b?" Drake's eyes again flash for a moment with unnatural power, just enough for the bandit to notice.
Y͟ou ͟d͜͠o̧͢͡n̸̢'̷̸t̸ ͡҉̷h̵̸a̷̵͢v́͠e ͜m͞u҉c͏h̨̛ ro̢͜o͡͞m ̷̧to̢͞ ͢t̸̛àl͏͠k,̨ D̴̢͟r̸à͝ké̵͞.̷͞ ͠͞I͟ ̧̀͘kn̴o̢̕w͢ ̕̕ỳ̸o̵u̧'̛͢͞v͠e̵ ̸se͞͠ę̧͘n͠ t̕͡hȩ̶̧ ̵̴p͜͠os͝҉̧t̴̢͜er̕͠s ̵̶̷i̧̕n̢̛ t͞h̛é͢ s͜h̨̡̀ę͢ri͟f͠͏f̷̡'͏̀͏s͢ ̸̕st͟a̢̕tio̵n͜s͝,̢͘ ͏l̴̢o͠͡o̡k̶̨i͝n̶͜g̨ ̵̡͘f̵̀o̷͠r͜ '͏̛T͠͝h͢͞é̶́ ̷͠We̴̵n͠digo'͝.̶̨ ͘͏Su̕͟r̷̸e̸҉,̧̕ ̀y͘͏̷ǫ̀u̕͜'́v̶͜e͏ ͡͠ǵ͡o͏̡t҉̵ ̡̀o̶ne̡͡ ̴̶̵l̴̡͟ą̕͞t̷̀̕c̴̷̢h̛͠ę͟d ̢̛t͏ò̵ ýò̧ur̨͘ ́ş̷͝o͏҉u͢ĺ̴̶ ̸àn̵̸͜d ̨ąl͏l,҉ ҉͟bu҉̵̕t́͢ ͡i͘t̵͞'̴͜s s̸t̢̧il̷l̷̨ ̵̶̨a͜͝ ̶͏b̢̧͞i͢t ̷o̶̡͜s̸té̢͞n̴͝t̴atiou̧̕ş̸.͏̴ ̨"
Dom considers Drake's plan to take the man with them for a moment, and then tirns to Myra.
"This man worth saving? He ever put a hand on you or the young'ns?"
"Oh please, oh please, don't make me go with you, I don't wanna be here no more, just let me leave, I'll turn myself in, I swear it!" The bandit is truly whimpering now, and snot has begun to run from his nostrils. "Don't kill me, if you make me go with that's killin' me, don't feed me to no coyotes..."
At the bars, Myra shakes her head. "No, they never touched us. I heard some of them make comments they'd want to, but I guess their boss said they couldn't. And him, he wasn't one of 'em talking like that." She gives the remaining Redbrand a look somewhere between disgust and pity.
Dom sighs. "Well, looks like you're officially too pathetic to kill," he says to the bandit.
"It was a good idea, Drake, but he'd be more of a hindrance than a help. Probably best to knock his ass out. No need to be particularly gentle about it so long as he's breathing."
"Hmm? I wasn't thinkin' he'd be much of a help, but I figure he might take a bullet or two for me b'fore I had to drop him." Drake shrugs with a disturbing air of nonchalance. "Y'think we ought to just knock 'im out? Doesn't bother me either way." He doesn't look to the others though, still staring down the Redbrand in case he gets ideas about running.
"Eh, he probably doesn't really deserve to live, but I have a feelin' that it'll be more effort to keep him in line than it's worth. I'd just pistol whip the ijit unconscious so we can get one with it."
Siann looks at the wimpering bandit with disgust, "Yes, we're not them...knock him out and bind him...then let's see what this Galstaff's got going on..." she says as she smiles down at the boy.
"Y'think so? He seems 'bout to piss himself t'me, I have a feelin' if I told 'im to jump he wouldn't even have the gall to wait and ask how high." He shrugs, then looks both to the other members of the party and the prisoners. "What d'you think? His life worth saving?"
"Don't know if his life is worth saving, but I do know he ain't worth my life damning."
Dom then moves behind the man and pistol whips him into unconsciousness. He then pulls out rope to tie him up.
"Now let's get going."
Dom knocks the bandit unconscious, and he slumps over onto the floor, breathing but relatively still. With no way to free the captives just now, unless Drake wants to try his hand at picking the lock, the posse decides to get moving again.
"I don't think there's much point in back tracking. Let's just head forward, shall we?" Drake flips out his lockpicks and goes to work on the cage as he speaks, his voice slow and calm as he works the tumblers. "We should just end this whole nonsense and get back to town, unless you all think there's a pressin' reason to wander around that cavern right now."
"Agreed. Let's finish this nonsense and clear this mess out while we have the chance."
Before heading out of the room, Drake decides to take a crack at the locks. It takes him some time, and he has a couple slip-ups, but he eventually gets them open, much to the relief and joy of the Dender clan. Myra gathers her children close and gives the posse an appreciative and tearful look. "Thank you," she says. "Is it safe for us to leave? Should we wait here until it is?"
"There wasn't anyone stoppin' us on the way in, so you'd probably be alright. Any of you handy with a gun at all? We've got a few we procured from their supplies, if it'll make y'feel a little safer."
Myra looks down at the revolver Dom handed her, then looks back up and shrugs. "Sal taught me how to handle one decent enough, so I could keep myself and the children safe if he... if he wasn't around." She takes a moment and looks up again, her eyes now hard. "If the way's clear as far as you know, I think we can make it back to town okay. We'll head for the Stonehills' place. I'd guess we'll be safe there, until this is all over."
"Good luck, ma'am."
"That's a good idea, we'll make sure to let you know once they're dealt with," Drake says, standing up from having picked the lock. He stretches and replaces his tools before heading back toward the crypt and stopping in front of the double doors. "Well, guess we'd best get ready for a fight. It sounds like we've got some right nasty sh*t t'deal with before we're done in here." He draws his revolver with a spin before planting a hand on one of the double doors. "Let's get to it, then." Drake gives the doors a shove and stand ready to head farther into the dungeon.
Jed just shrugs. "Stay safe out there ma'am." He makes sure both his weapons are loaded and watches Drake's back as he goes through the door into the next room.
The posse decides to continue the search, moving away from the cavern, and they usher the Denders from their cells. Myra gives them a final nod, and leads her children away, the pistol clutched in her hand. The posse, for their part, moves to the double doors in the crypt and shoves them open.
The doors open on a somber hallway, with thick dust covering the flagstone floor. Every ten feet or so along the stretch, which is maybe forty in all, false columns are set along the walls as decor. The posse can just make out an opening on one wall near the far end, probably a doorway without a door.
"This is way too quiet." Jed stays just behind Drake, keeping an eye out for traps or the sound of more enemies approaching.
Jed's keen, suspicious eye catches a section of floor in the hallway that doesn't look quite right. On closer approach, he can tell that a wide collection of tile stones, a square nearly the width of the hall, are actually loose, and look to be set atop some timbers underneath. Figuring it for a pit trap, he looks around, but the only way past seems to be trying to jump over, or skirting around on the edges of the hall. Either way would take some nimble footwork.
Dom looks at the trap for a moment, before shrugging. "I'll try to get past it."