Gad'larr manages to avoid hitting the armor covering the skeleton and drive his fist into its massive collarbone, causing webbed cracks to proliferate through its bones. This does not stop the massive undead from swinging its Halberd across as Gad moves in.
The skeleton still has not remembered how to use its halberd as its swing wildly misses the half-orc coming in.
Dropping into a low loping run, Brezik starts advancing trying to move into a flanking position while staying out of the Skeletons reach as long as possible.
Rushing forward after the others, Qina aimed her finger at the giant skeleton and whispered the arcane words to release the positive energy flowing through her.
Allister's vision shows that both of the skeletons are radiating a greasy black aura, though more information will come later. Brezik and Vivian move into position while Qina's ray of brilliant energy leaves a deep scorch mark on the bones of the furthest skeleton. It flinches, but takes the opportunity to strike Allister as he moves through the furthest extent of its reach.
The golden blade of the halberd scrapes uncomfortably down Allister's armor, but causes no harm to the man himself.
Bel follows Al lead and steps up to the skeleton. Hoping the big creature is as clumsy as it looks he goes again for the trip...
The skeleton Belathorian reaches has not reset itself enough to take another swipe at him, but does not go down to the scythe hooked expertly around its leg.
It stomps to disengage the scythe then swings its halberd around, attempting to slice Gad'larr in two, while the other does much the same with Allister.
Gad is fast enough to avoid the blow, however Allister has to take the full force, and though his armor doesn't crumple he can definitely feel the necromantic strength of the skeletons.
The skeleton guarding the gate swings its halberd around at Vivian, doing what it can to stop her.
Despite the crushing force against her shield arm and armor she brings her mace down, cracking the bones of the skeleton and knocking some of the gold off of it as well.
Taking another step to get a better angle on the undead ogre, Gad lets loose with his fists and feet!
-Includes Dragon Style!
+ Flurry!
-Includes Dragon Style!
+ Flurry! (1 Ki)
-Includes Dragon Style!
Brezik steps up to the ogre skeleton flanking it. He gets a big smile and swings for a spot between it's vertebrae, but as the dwarf makes his swing the skeleton slides to the left and Breazik's axe only finds empty air.
Gad'larr's continued assault bashes the bones of the skeleton, knocking off ever more gold and leaving cracks throughout the rigid structures. The skeleton shakes and judders but continues to function, threatening everyone around it with its golden halberd.
Again Qina let lose her ray of positive energy. These giant things did not scare her as much as the shadow did, but still, she saw the blows that the others were taking and she wore no steel. If there was one thing that she learned from her encounter with the shadow, it was you needed to be smarter than the dead.
Qina's ray adds to the damage Gad has done to the skeleton, and pushes it over the edge from undeath to true death once more. The skeleton collapses with a great CRASH! of iron, bone, and gold. The other continues to press on with the fight, doing what it can to stop you.
While a blunt weapon would crush the bones of the skeletons easier, anyone who thinks Al's strength doesn't make up for it is in for a nasty surprise should that strength be turned against them.
"We have no time to waste on you, remnant."
Bel steps forward to face theh foe and sweeps the leg
The skeleton's ankle crushes under the impact of Belathorian's scythe, but continues to function, and swings its halberd at him as well.
The skeleton continues using its unholy strength to do as much damage as it can to your party.
Moving quickly to engage the remaining giant skeleton, Gad LEAPS from a standing position, swinging his foot out against the skeleton!
fast movement bonus. This movement is made as part of the monk's flurry of blows attack and does not require an additional action. At the
end of this movement, the monk must make an attack against an adjacent foe. This movement may be between attacks. This movement provokes
an attack of opportunity as normal. The attack made after the movement must be a kick.
-Includes Dragon Style!
+ Flurry!
-Includes Dragon Style!
Brezik steps forward into the fray helping to press the attack with his friends.
All together guys...
Everyone piles onto the skeleton, the flurry of blows cracking its bones and ripping the gold plating off it and its equipment.
Seeing the fallen giants, Gad nods and has only one comment before moving on.
"Aybody want a gold-plated ogre-skull helmet? I understand they are quite the fashion in some orc tribes..."
Gad will start looking around.
"Let's find some decent cover to rest in. Any of these gold-covered buildings look cooler than the rest? I worry this heat is going to get to us otherwise."
Trying to stifle a yawn, Qina spoke "Captain, I'm tired. Can we rest now? I'm not sure how much longer I can keep my eyes open."
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"Aybody want a gold-plated ogre-skull helmet? I understand they are quite the fashion in some orc tribes..."
Allister nods, amazed that someone would be offering such a priceless valuable. "I would love to take it... You really wouldn't mind?"
Once they find a place to rest, Allister suddenly realizes just how exhausted he is. Fight after fight, the sweltering heat... "Is anyone wounded?" Before resting, the paladin will use Lay on Hands for anyone who is injured.
"Belathorian, will you make us immune to the heat again tomorrow? If so I will focus on different spells."
Despite his exhaustion, Allister feels a new strength coursing through him.
There is a large swath of open ground between the wall of the second ring and the nearest buildings. However, there are several intact buildings in the first ring much closer to the wall and with a better view of the road leading to the gate.
As the group begins to settle in Brezik plays his role in the parties preparation to camp. With Gad he helps do an initial scout of the building and then sets up Qina's cooking gear in a room that seems to have good ventilation. Setting up a blind across the small window there to keep the fire light from spilling out into the city...
With all the molten gold around the smoke from a little camp fire like ours should go unnoticed, and the layers of gold on the floor should make this room fairly fire proof.
Brezik gives Qina a smile and then heads for the door.
I'm going to take my time and do a proper search of the perimeter. I'll try to keep in ear shot in case I find something. Al keep an eye on Qina will you?
With that the dwarf drops into a low crouch as he heads out the door.
Night never truly falls in this sealed off cavern under the ground. The light from the molten gold flows and from the fungi high above peek in through the windows and doorways of the building that you've set as a base camp. None of your posted sentries sees or hears anything approach, though watching the nearby roads they occasionally see marching skeletons, those golden guardians, and even some undead moving about.
Perhaps it was knowing that rest was soon coming. Or it could have just been falling into her normal routine that gave Qina the strength to muster on. She quickly set about gathering the pots and pans and shuffling through her pack and then her pouch of special ingredients looking for whatever she could find. It had been a while since they had re-provisioned...and Brezik sure could eat. Then again so could Allister and Vivian and the rest of them too.
She was unaware of most of what she was doing. Pulling out this and adding that to the pot. Letting it simmer a while she slumped back against one of the walls. She was snoring before her rump hit the floor.
"Food's ready."
Bels sits his watch in silence, watching the spirits of the dead as they march their eternal vigil.
This place is far from your grace m'lady. These souls are lost. Guide my hand, that I may redeem them.
When 'morning' comes Bel is more than happy to take the food offered by Qina
"Thank you"
He offers with a bowed head
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The smells of Qina's cooking stirs a hunger in Allister's stomach that he did not know was there. Even in this place, with so little by means of a kitchen or cookware, the Little Dragon made a meal so delicious he hastily finished his portion then waited to see if there were any leftovers. Any food that went uneaten, whether by nervous stomachs or surplus, was quickly devoured by the young paladin.
"When you run an inn and serve food like this every night, Qina... I'm moving in next door." The paladin smiles. This hellish place has thus far failed to break his spirit.
While packing up his camp, Allister muses aloud. "I wonder if there's any gold-plated squirrels here..."
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"Qina, this is amazing! I've never tasted these flavors together before but, it's, incredible!"
The piece of civilization in this crazy chaotic place surprised Vivian. She hadn't realized she'd missed it before. It reminded her of Kassen, all the town's folk, the festivals, her father.. It didn't hurt as much to think of him, though the anger for Norgorber was still as strong as ever. But she believed he was in a better place now, with her mother. No more suffering. The time for a Ferris to suffer was over. Soon, after the Sanctity of Kassen's tomb was returned, it'd be time for her vengence.
"I can't believe this was a city, and that it fills with gold.. How long ago since people lived here? Do you think they had shelters from the floods?"
Coming back from his scouting Brezik makes a bee line for the pot of food.
I'm so hungry! I could eat a horse if I needed to.
The dwarf pulls out a fancy ceramic dish and is about to fill it but stops. He stares at it in disbelief and then suddenly drops it as if it were on fire. Before it hits the ground the plate disappears in a puff of smoke. He stares at the empty spot which should be filled with shards of clay. Taking a deep breath he reaches back into his backpack and pulls out another dish just like the other. Then he reaches in and pulls out a cloak. He shakes it and laughs.
I always wondered how Ma seemed to pull things out of thin air... Now it seems I can too. Hehe ... I can hardly wait to get home and show her.
With another wave of his hands the cloak disappears in a puff of smoke. He then looks up to see if any oh his friends have noticed his antics as he starts filling his dish with food.
Belathorian casts the same spell that he did yesterday, giving everyone some relief from the hot and stuffy air. With everything packed away you check the roads before heading into the street and towards the large gates the ogre skeletons were guarding before.
The dim illumination gives Vivian and Allister some trouble, but they are just as sure footed as everyone else, especially now that random detritus in the road seems to have gone away. Looking up you see that the gold line along the walls ends a bit further down than you remember. You don't feel like you've been ascending, but that is what you must have been doing to have decreased the height by as much as you have.
Immediately ahead, the gold-plated road reaches a crossroads and disappears beneath a mound of partially melted treasure. Gold coins, weapons, armor, and glittering gems cover the entire intersection in a mountain of wealth that reaches ten feet high.
The heat made Qina terribly uncomfortable. Truth be told it wasn't the heat itself, but the perception of heat. Despite the magic that protected her, protected them all, something deep inside of Qina hated the heat that surrounded them. The cold within her grew in an effort to combat the heat and as it did so it made her irritable, impatient and distracted.
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At the crossroads Vivian is fed up with the dim light and tales out her nightdrops. After dosing herself she offers them to Al, "They'll help you see in this dim glow like if it was day in here."
Blinking until they fully set it, Vivian scans the intersection.
"We're going to have to seriously find a gold plated cart down here to haul some of this out... think of the defenses and public services we could fund if we brought it all back home?"
Having his belly full of the Qina's excellent meal, Gad is ready to take on the world.
Unimpressed by the mound of treasure, Gad points out the mask.
"We have our first target here! They came this way. Damn masks."
He will search the skeleton and the area for anything useful to help the group track their enemies.
Gad'larr finds the scuff marks of many shoes trampling along the ground, most avidly avoiding the pile of treasure, though traces of one can be found heading that direction before abruptly stopping at the skeleton. The marks indicate the Razmirans continue further into the ring, following the golden path.
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Gad'larr finds the scuff marks of many shoes trampling along the ground, most avidly avoiding the pile of treasure, though traces of one can be found heading that direction before abruptly stopping at the skeleton. The marks indicate the Razmirans continue further into the ring, following the golden path.