Kua's wild swing misses the devil by a hand's breadth, but Yang's force missile sends it reeling. With a powerful blow of his own, Auron pounds the thing into the floor where it expands into a puddle of melted fat before burning off into a haze of smoke and disappearing.
'eh, heh. That weren't so tough, huh.
Auron gives the bloatmage a wink before adding on.
How 'bout the room. Anythin' in 'ere?
Auron takes a casual look inside.
Kua steps in behind the cavalier and begins looking through the alcoves.
With the lemure vanquished, you find little of interest in the dusty tomb.
Sister Mara attempts to update her map and realizes that her mapping skills leave somewhat to be desired.
Lets 'ave another go 'en. Open up the next 'un.
Auron scratches his chin as he moves towards the adjacent statue.
"Let's try the one behind the rotting fat man holding the scythe," Sister Mara suggests, moving forward to check the secret door for traps. "Based on the statue's appearance, I'll bet that this one has something to do with undead..."
Sister Mara easily finds the secret entrance to the next crypt, now knowing exactly what to look for.
Swinging the heavy stone door open, she finds another dusty chamber with evenly spaced niches like the previous crypt. But instead of bodies in funerary trappings in each niche, the floor is covered with a mound of splintered bones.
DM Screen:
Kua takes the first steps into the crypt, eyes scanning back and forth for anything out of the ordinary.
Auron thrusts his torch into the room before tossing it into a nearby mound of bones. He follows Kua, a few steps behind.
Sister Mara takes up position behind Auron, crossbow loaded and ready to fire into the chamber should anything hostile emerge.
When Kua reaches the center of the room an emaciated form leaps at him from the shadows where it had been concealed! What was once a man is now a pale wretch with leathery skin, a fang-filled mouth ringing a distended tongue and the deflated bulk of a once corpulent belly drooping from its midsection. A second creature dives at the Duskwarden from one of the niches in the side, stepping between Kua and Auron! Before he can raise a hand to defend himself, they both lay into the Duskwarden.
Attacker 1, bite and claws:
Attacker 2, bite and claws:
Confirm:
Initiative:
DM Screen:
Initiative:
Kua feels his muscles begin to go stiff as the yellowed fangs and claws dig into him, but a surge of adrenaline brought on by almost fatal danger spurs him to action.
Sister Mara (15+6): 21
Uwais (15+3): 18
Kua (15+2): 17
Auron (15+1): 16
Yang (15+1): 16
Creatures: 5
Round One:
Sister Mara stretches out her hand and calls upon the powers of the Everflame to send a bolt of divine energy shooting toward one of the creatures threatening Kua as she steps into the passageway.
As Kua nearly succumbs to his wounds, his primal instincts kick in!
"Rrrrrarrgh!!" Blood and spittle fly from the orc's mouth as he attempts to cleave his assailant (AK/19) in twine.
knowledge religion
"I am unclear on this creature, but it is likely undead." Yang shows his keen knack for noticing the obvious in his statements, and unleashes a force missile at one of the ghouls.
damage
Auron gives out a shout and throws himself into the fray. He swings his warhammer with deadly purpose, following with a maneuver to the right.
power attack with flank at AK21:
power damage:
step to AL21.
In the chaos of the growing melee, Sister Mara's bolt of energy glances off of Auron's back, giving the warrior little more than a slight tingle. Uwais steps in far to the rear, just far enough to get a clear enough line of sight before sending a stone sailing into the corridor.
Sling:
But the bullet clatters through the stone chamber.
Furious at the ambush and his growing wounds, Kua brutally hacks into his assailant and cleaves the gaunt beast in twain before stepping over its body to place some distance between himself and the remaining attacker and enough room for Auron to step in and apply his warhammer to the creature's face, crunching bones and mangled teeth. Yang sends a familiar bolt of force into the undead menace, staggering it further.
But the creature remains standing and leaps at Auron with claws raking and jaws snapping.
Bite/claw/claw vs. Auron:
The heavily armored knight seems to weather the assault well, until a claw slips just under his guard and pulls a rent in his chainmail. His arms and legs begin to feel leaden, his muscles seizing up.
Auron's Fortitude:
But the Hound Master proves too resilient for the paralysis to take root.
Round Two:
Seeing an open path to the creature threatening Auron, Sister Mara draws her scimitar and charges to attack the creature.
Seeing the ghouls surrounded, Kua will end his rage and take defensive stance.
With arrival of the inquisitor to the fray, Auron attacks powerfully without reservation.
power attack with flank:
power damage:
Sister Mara hacks a deep gouge into the ghoul's shoulder, sending it reeling directly into Auron's powerful swing. It slumps to the floor, dead once again. A smell of rot and corruption suffuses the tomb as you conduct your post-melee search for salvage. Unfortunately, you find nothing of value.
"Well, gentlemen. Where next? Shall we continue our circuit clockwise and investigate the passage behind the statue of the handsome bearded man dressed in extravagant clothes?"
'im, the warden needs a breather I reckon. Let 'im stand a bit at the rear.
Realizing the extent of Kua's injuries, Sister Mara calls upon the powers of the Healing Flame tomend a portion of the Duskwarden's wounds.
Auron shoulders open the next chamber with only a little effort to find a truly strange sight.
A plush red carpet runs down the narrow corridor between wood paneled walls polished to a high sheen. Floating lanterns cast a gentle glow into each alcove flanking the corridor, where bodies wrapped in pristine linen are laid to rest in niches. Rather than the clammy chill of most underground rooms, this chamber is pleasantly warm and the soothing sound of chimes tinkles softly in the distance.
"Truly, the wonders of this place are many. How long do you think this has been like this?" Yang asks his companions, somewhat oblivious to Kua's wounds.
Eh, somethin's not right 'ere. Auron blurts out, seeing the obvious.
Mebbe some magick's about? If nobody's home, it woulda be a good spot to take a nap later on.
Taking his lit torch, Auron aims and throws it, trying to to catch the linen shroud on fire.
Good thing the priestess ain't around.
Auron tosses the torch a short distance to the second alcove on the right.
DM Screen:
The torch hits the floor and sputters, but doesn't appear the catch the shroud on fire even though you can smell smoke.
Kua, Mara and Yang:
"An illusion. It's all an illusion," Sister Mara announces for the benefit of Auron and Uwais. "It's just another crypt like the others, with desiccated bodies in the alcoves."
Eh, that's it then? No warm, comfy room. Me eyes playin' tricks. Still can't get it.
Auron looks uncomfortable and a bit apprehensive.
Tell you what, still need to take a look see, right? I'll have me mutt follow whoever's goin' in.
Auron commands Jhaik to defend whoever's searching out the crypt.
"I see it too.. and can smell the smoke." Kua grimaces at the acrid smell of the burning shrouds. "Nothing but rotted corpses in there and even those will be ash soon." Kua covers his nose and steps away from the crypt.
Hanbo in hand, Sister Mara steps into the crypt to stamp out the smouldering burial shroud before the fire can spread. The inquisitor keeps a wary eye out for traps and hidden creatures as she does so.
Uwais follows behind the inquisitor, Waya padding next to him. His brow is furrowed as he tries to look in vain through the illusion. "Quite the magic," he eventually says, feeling vexed that he can't make himself disbelieve it.
Sister Mara steps into the crypt, with the intention of stamping out the fire. As she approaches the smoldering shroud, however, she notices a quiet dripping sound like beads of water hitting the ground. Looking further and to her left, she can see a human skeleton in a nearby alcove. Its bones are covered in slowly dripping red blood, droplets falling from its frame and onto the floor. It takes a faltering step toward her.
initiative
Kua initiative:
Uwais/Waya:
Skeleton:
Initiative and Stance
Kua- 17; rearward
Waya- 17; rearward
Auron- 15; rearward
Sister Mara- 15; open
Yang- 10; rearward
Bloody Skeleton- 9; open
Jhaik- 9; open
Jhaik watches as the queer bony skeleton rises and approaches his ward. Recognizing it as a threat, the hound rushes in and takes in a savage bite on the bloodied bone.
Not entirely surprised by the appearance of another undead creature, Sister Mara eyes the bloody skeleton critically as she strikes at it with her hanbo.
Startled, Uwais spits a curse in the halfling tongue as the skeleton reveals itself. His quick reflexes, however, allow him to load and fire his sling at the creature. Waya, however, unnerved by the skeleton's undeath, stays behind her master, ears flattened.
Kua is holding until after Yang's turn.
Yang fires off another force missile at the undead creature. "For as much as Pharasma hates undead, there are certainly a lot down here."
Sister Mara's club cracks the skeleton's ribcage mere moments before Yang's arcane darts slam into its skull, knocking it to the floor.
Sister:
Round Two:
Sister Mara strikes at the creature againn in an effort to put it down quickly. "This type of skeleton regenerates unless we sprinkle its remains with holy water," she shouts to her companions.