With extraordinary precision Demario puts his bolt just in the junction between the chest and the skull of the skeleton. Even if the bolt would have normally only scratched the bones, the outstanding skill of Demario to find vital points splits the skull from the body. The skeleton then loses all his stability and the flames inside turn crazy, exploding in a burst of flames and ashes!
The other skeleton moves next to the door and attacks the rogue with its claw.
The claw scratches Demario's skin causing a considerable gash, and burning his skin and cloths.
The fire is so intense that burns those around the skeleton.
You know this creature is a skeleton. They are weak, but very resistant to weapons not causing Bludgeoing damage.
You see the flames around and remember tales about burning skeletons that burn those around them and cause a big destruction around when they die.
At the start of his turn, Demario fells to the ground due to the extreme heat of the skeleton. Lionel feels also the heat, but the wall stone in between fortunately protects him from the damage.
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"Good work, Demario!", shouts enthusiastically Lionel as the gnome pulls off an amazing trick shot. Possibly distracted by the cleric's shout, the gnome doesn't manage to dodge out of the burning skeleton's way. "Oh, crap. Sorry!
Looking at the skeleton and focusing on the lectures at the temple, most of which he admittedly spent focusing on the head priestess' bosom, he suddently remembers something, and shouts extremely loud, "GET AWAY FROM IT, IT BLOWS UP WHEN YA KILL IT!"
"Nigel, drag Demario outa here, me and the Captin gonna drag it away!", Lionel shouts, while jumping over Demario's body with his spear still drawn, and positions himself closer to the other skeleton's ashes, ready to strike as soon as Demario is out of the way.
I'll miss ya, banner. Ya served me well...
With great expertise Lionel jumps to one side avoiding the skeleton claws as he goes out of the door and positions himself in a place were he can hit the flaming skelly.
Draylan and the others pull Demario's before the flames can affect him, and then Lionel delivers a brutal hit with his spear, breaking the skull of the skeleton. The undead also becomes unstable and explodes in flames, fortunately not damaging anyone, properly protected behind the walls.
As you approach the altars to investigate them, you find some silver
services, worth 100 gp altogether, as well as two silver holy symbols Lionel identify as being Nethys ones.
In addition, a divine scroll rests atop each altar.
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Ignoring the rest of the room, Lionel rushes to Stabilize Demario.
"Guys, I'm running out of healing magic. If ya have any potions, I'd suggest giving them ta him, otherwise, I'll be outa divine power."
That leaves him with 1 touch of luck and 4 Mirror images.
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Mithrennon, pleased the team managed the skeletons so skillfully, enjoys the task of rummaging through the room.
Unable to decipher the scrolls, he points Lionel to them. "Perhaps these will help? I am afraid I cannot make out what the purpose of these scrolls are. Perhaps they are more attuned to your magical skills."
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Demario not expecting there to be another flaming skeleton in the room lets out a high pitched sheiek as a claw comes around the corner and clicks him good on the head, blood dripping down his face.
Holy bullfrog's warts. Where did that come from. Man, that hurt like hell. Thank you for pulling me outta harms way, the explosion could have hurt. Lionel, thank you for tending to my wounds. I will try to be more careful next time Stupid Demario, always careful and the ONE time your aren't looks what happens. Always stay out of the way and let the tall folk do the exploration and chivalry
He looks over the scrolls, trying to decipher the magic contained within.
The one found on the black alter is shatter, but I don't know bout the white one. If nobody wants it I will hold onto it. I can always try to cast it should we run across an enemy.
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Draylan mesmerized by the surprise of flaming skeletons loses focus for a moment and is frozen in place. When he snaps out of his shock, he sees bits of smoldering bone throughout the room.
"Sorry everyone, I must have lost consciousness for a moment. Thank you for dealing with the danger while I was... ahem... preoccupied. Since the danger is gone, shall we take a moment to check for anything the museum might be interested in... besides the scrolls, that is?"
if I still get the benefit of the extra roll from Lionel...
Not very impressive, but you find the services of Nethys over the altars. All in silver.
A second, more careful, look at the room, uncovers a secret door concealed behind an old racked tapestry showing the magic of fire in his apotheosis. The door seems locked with a complex device.
Demario might be able to unlock it but he will likely need half an hour or more.
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Assuming that the obvious fact of piercing weapons is useless against skeletons is obvious, he's going to turn to Draylan and say, "Go get 'em, Captin!", gesturing towards his potion of Enlarge Person, and then giving him a touch that releases another buzz of insect wings. Draylan, you can now re-roll all d20 for your next turn and pick the best one. Abuse it, or Calistria will be sad. You won't like her when she's sad. Also, 1 more use today.
I didn't see anything that changed that action posted afterward, but if it doesn't apply, then... bummer. Calistra smiled upon the nat 20!
After Demario unlocks the door, twenty minutes more have past and Mith starts feeling better from his injuries.
Nigel then opens the door with his cantrip and all the party starts exploring the new room.
A living, moving fabric seems to cover the ceiling of this half-collapsed chamber, which stretches northwest into darkness. The pungent smell of ammonia rises from the droppings that litter the floor.
There is no other entrance to the rest of this level or to the tower’s interior central staircase from this room.
As the party explores the area, the light or movements disturbs a colony of bats that roosts on the ceiling of this room. The swarm goes over the party!
This is a swarm of bats. You know area and splash weapons deal double damage to them, and big strong sounds might scatter them as well.
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Lionel touches Mithrennon for good luck , whispering, "Good luck with the acid, Mith."
and says louder, "Split up, so they can't be on alla us at once!", then moves backwards in order to stabilize anyone that needs it.
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Draylan remembers something an instructor said in his pathfinder prep class: cave vermin... and relays the information to the rest of the party.
[b]"These are not easy to deal with. I suggest we get out of here, and try to close the bats inside with the door, and avoid tangling with them all together. EVERYONE OUT! NOW!"[b]
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"Bat swarm! This is bad news! If anyone has splash or spread attacks, this would be a good time to use them!" Mithrennon exclaims excitedly, and not in a good way.
Feeling particularly useless about now, Meeth the wizard looks about frantically for a hasty retreat.
Meanwhile, his hawk hops about in a different room, squawking at feeling his master's anxiety.
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Draylan will try and pick up Nigel as he tries to corral the party back out the door they came in and slam the door behind them.
After rushing back through the door, setting the gnome down, closing the door behind him and leaning against it while catching his breath...
"Sorry my friend... *breath*... we had NO time... *breath*... to discuss the issue... *breath*... Everyone OK?!"
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"Soo...", begins a confused Lionel. "That bad, huh? I'm gonna to assume nobody has the desire to lug stuff covered in bat!@#$ back to the museum, so I suggest we all forget 'bout this lil' accident. Although, praise where praise is due, people, that was some damn quick thinking."
Lionel looks up the stairs at the last floor of the tower, fixes his hat and cloak, brushes his fingers on the long yellow feather, clanks the end of his spear on the first step up, and says with a mischievous grin, "Shall we, gentlemen?"
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"I was actually thinking, if we give the bats a few moments... they may fly out somewhere else (where they came in), and we can check out this room without distraction OR possible injury!"
Draylan will wait for awhile while listening at the door, to see if the sounds of the agitated bats, disappears.
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Slightly Calmed down now. Nigel has another suggestion.
Draylan, you said they hated loud noises right? I can cast Ghost sound to make it sound like there's a lot more of us. We could all go in screaming and I can make it sound like there's 10 of us. That might just scare them away.
He then looks at the torch in his hand and says.
By the way, if you would put me down and light my torch, I would be grateful. Sorry bout that, I'm a little skittish.
Taulinor throws an alchemist fire flask at the bats. Some part of them scatter when they took flames, but others stay there and move towards the party.
The bats move over Taulinor and Lionel causing damage.
Nigel bravely hurls the lamp full of oil.
The lamp fails and crashes against the floor very close to the bats, but the oil scatter burns some of the bats.
The remnant flames continue burning more and more bats, until they decide it is dangerous to stay here, and fly away of the party into the sky out of the tower.
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Mithrennon sighs in relief as the party drives away the swarm of bats. "Well done, everyone! Such hordes of creatures are devastating to the unprepared." Even as he praises the valiant teammates, Glandur looks warily about, anxious that they might return. Nonetheless, the wizard takes the time to look over the ruins, to see if there's anything worth salvaging.
Mithrennon's search turns up a potion buried in the rubble.
Potion of cure light wounds.
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"Hot hells, guys, you're kickin' ass!" replies Lionel after the fire explodes in the room, with a giddy tone in his voice, clearly enjoying the sight of bats scattering from the flames. "Lemme getta look at that here potion."
"It's... well. A potion. The Lion can confirm that."
After Demario has confirmed it, Lionel agrees with Nigel's proposition.
"Nigel has a point. Bottoms up, Tully!", encouragingly says Lionel.
After that,
Lionel looks up the stairs at the last floor of the tower, fixes his hat and cloak, brushes his fingers on the long yellow feather, clanks the end of his spear on the first step up, and says with a mischievous grin, "Shall we, gentlemen?"
The party climbs one more floor without much problem. They stand in front of a new door trying to decide if climbing more or assaulting also this floor.
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"How many floors did this place look like it had, from the outside?"
Draylan turns to Lionel...
"Is this where we consult to coin? Or are we proceeding with a more systematic exploration from bottom to top? In other words, are we seeing what's behind door number 3 here, or skipping it and heading up again?"
Draylan turns to the cramped group of pathfinders...
"Did anyone want to check THIS door for surprises?"
Draylan surveys the door waiting for the party's replys.
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Nigel chimes in.
I have a spell that can open and close doors from 25 feet away. From now on, lets use that to open doors. I'm also going to check for traps on this door.
I feel like we've searched every floor so far. We might as well explore the place top to bottom. By the way, anyone have flint and steel to light my torch with?
As Nigels spell opens from safety, the horribly familiar stench of troglodytes comes to your nose.
Demario, Draylan and Lionel, being the closest ones need to make all his effort not to vomit from the stench.
Crude bunks line the walls of the stench filled room. There are three troglodytes resting here, they swiftly stand up and hand their weapons as they hear the door opening and the light pouring inside the room.
They start yelling and stand up from the beds.
"Intruders! Tulok! Intruders in the barraks!"
At your sight, they hurl a bunch of javelins and get out of the beds 5 feet.
The closest troglodytes succeed to hit Draylan from their position, the weapons causing a couple of wounds in his chest. But the brave fighter stands the damage and readies himself for the attack.