Lara frowns at Marcus' warning, then quietly unshoulders and strings her bow.
The Dwarves nearby stopped what they were doing and drew weapons, their alarm obvious.
We smash every skeleton apart before we add to the pile. What are you saying, Marcus, that we somehow missed one or that it reformed...? the Thane questioned, a little defensively.
Durin stopped what he was doing and turned to face the pit. Flipping his mask down, he took his hammer in both hands and moved to join Marcus at the edge.
Perhaps leaving the weapons in the pit wasn't the best idea...
All I know is that there are multiple evil auras in there.
Telurion draws the weapon which was provided to him, and assumes a fighting stance - "Strong ones Marcus?" - he questions - "And are they moving, or do we need to start digging?" - he adds, pondering setting the whole pile on fire.
The Undead within seemed concerned by the gathering number of humanoids around the bone pile and began to stir. Five walking corpses with glowing red eyes, Wights, clawed their way out of the bone pile; only to be swiftly slain by almost two dozen leveled weapons. The Dwarves gave a good account of themselves as they fired crossbow bolts at the Wights with discipline and Thane Fenris stood at the front with the group's elite warriors, slaying a Wight himself with his Dwarven Urgosh. Caught at a heavy disadvantage having been found inside their hiding place and surrounded, the five Undead were dispatched with no injuries to report.
They must have sneaked into the pile last night after the attack. Perhaps they were waiting to join the assault on us later... Again, you have our sincere thanks, Marcus, Kirilarien. Will you stand with us, tonight?
Without much further ado, the group settled down for the night. Half of the Dwarves remained awake, with one or two on watch. Durin had no shortage of willing dicing partners. Those Dwarves that did sleep inside the fortified hill did so in their armour. Three large campfires burned throughout the night, regularly topped up by a stockpile of wood brought down from the mountains by the stout Dwarves.
About three hours after true nightfall, the still night is broken suddenly by a clattering and clicking from somewhere out in the darkness, like the rattling of sticks. It seems to come from all sides. It is quickly followed by a clicking shuffle, and steadily draws closer and closer.
Durin scoops up his dice and grabs his hammer while remarking, We'll resume this later.
Lara had been attempting to sleep with little success. Hearing the paladin's call, she rolls to her side and reaches for her unstrung bow. The archaeologist stands and strings her bow, peering out into the darkness tensely.
Marcus stays back during the brief battle with the wights, conserving his scant remaining spells.
Afterwards he examines their remains as well.
After a few moments of thought he nods in response to the Thanes question.
Well this seems to answer the main dilemma. It takes a necromancer or priest to control or summon such creatures. And that makes Barak right, we leave before dawn at least and we'll just face whatever forces it has on the road.
And unfortunately I doubt any of us are getting to sleep tonight.
Again I'm not going to be much good but I have a few ideas.
----------------------------------------------------
Having tried to follow Telurion's suggestion to sleep without much luck, Marcus throws off his blanket at the clattering and tries to focus his magic.
I want that gold back Durin so don't go falling now!
Everybody keep an eye out for a caster. We stop them and we may just stop their force.
From the darkness overhead, Kiri starts to sing an old dwarven warchant.
We are the heart of the wild, the fire in its eyes, and the howl in its throat. Come, join the battle to which you were born!
And that makes Barak right, we leave before dawn at least and we'll just face whatever forces it has on the road.
Durin flips his mask down before quipping, I know we are both just red headed dwarves to you, but I am the handsome one with the big hammer. And I wouldn't think of missing out on a good game of dice!
Examining the bones, Marcus concluded that the skeletons animated were likely just plucked from the ground. There was an abundance of picked clean skeletons in the Dead Fields both on the surface or buried; a necromancer's dream. The bones seemed ancient in most cases.
The warhammer Telurion had acquired was a good, sturdy weapon; but was not masterwork in quality. Ragnar offered Telurion a Longhammer but he found the heavy hafted weapon difficult to wield .
Marcus distributed vials of alchemists fire to the group; two to everyone in the party and three to Kiri.
Gorrak claimed to only be able to bring a few channels to bear. He was happy to discuss the spells he had prepared with Marcus. Despite his age Gorrak was still easily the second-best fighter in the group (behind Thane Fenris); he was a seasoned veteran and bore an enchanted waraxe.
2nd—align weapon, consecrate, soften earth and stoneD,
spiritual weapon (Atk +10/+5, Dmg 1d8+1)
1st—bless, detect undead, divine favor, protection from
evilD, shield of faith
0 (at will)—create water, guidance, purify food and drink,
resistance
Barak laughs with Durin "Even if we look the same surely you can smell the diference"
After a quick discussion with Gorrak, Marcus politely puts to the obviously experienced warrior that he could use his spell to soften earth in conjunction with the magical decanter to turn the southern and part of the eastern approach to the mound into thick mud while his consecrate could last the night (presumably) bolstering both his and Telurion's limited channeling.
Gorrak was perhaps a little patronised by Marcus' suggestions but said nothing. Before the attack began, he consecrated the ground to the east and some of the encampment with a vial of holy water and sprinkled silver dust. Between the large patch of wet mud and Marcus' mounds, the south edge of the encampment was a fairly formidable natural defence.
Old Gorrak also aligned Barak's crossbow with a blessing and a prayer to Dwerfater.
Ye'll have the best chance to thin their ranks afore they get close, young 'un. Do your ancestors proud.
In addition, the cleric conjured a Shield of Faith upon himself before declaring that he was ready to meet King Kroma in the next life.
There was simply too much terrain for the Decanter of Endless Water to do much good in the time the group had since arriving. However, between Marcus and Kirilarien they had improved the lighting enough on the battlefield, with the help of a few of Old Gorrak's enchanted, light-bringing crossbow bolts, to increase the range of sight to about 100 feet.
For his part, Telurion Blessed the defenders and managed to conjure a shield around himself just in time.
All too soon, the click-clacking of fleshless skeletal forms became louder and louder as dozens of the Undead marched into the edge of the dim light from the north, east and south. Each armed with a crossbow, the Dwarves under Thane Fenris, with their new allies beside them, prepared to defend the hill- with their lives if necessary. The skeletons marched in rows; unliving, waves of doom...
Round 1-
Ordered Initiative-
Kirilarien- 27
Barak- 21
Marcus- 19
Arachiel- 17
Lara- 12
Thane Fenris & Entourage- 12
Durin- 10
Skeletons- 8
Telurion- 5
Active Effects-
Align Weapon (Barak's Crossbow)
Consecrate (Blue Template)
Softened Earth to Mud; (Red Template)
Marcus' Mounds (Black Template)
Bless on all- +1 to attacks and saves VS fear
Maps-
Notes-
Action-
As the skeletons came into view, the simultaneous spring and whoosh of crossbow triggers and propelled bolts could immediately be heard as Thane Fenris roared LET LOOSE!
Barak laughs with Durin "Even if we look the same surely you can smell the diference"
You wouldn't have that problem if you stopped using so much of that cheap mustache wax. And putting it on your eyebrows is just too much! Durin teased his dwarven brethren.
Durin is content to leave the ranged attacks to others as he waits for the skeletons to come within range of his hammer...
Round 1
That is a lot of skeletons ... even, well spaced lines, there has to be a controller somewhere..
Kiri studies the unguarded west for signs of evil with her enchanted senses while Marcus studies the horde for oddities.
Barak bows in respect to the holy man "Dwarfather's forge warms my very soul."
Barak fire at the oncoming hoard but at this range his bolts lack and real power.
Kirilarien kept a vigil on the unguarded west edge of the encampment while Brak's crossbow began to spit bolts before anyone else let fly. Durin and Arachiel simply waited for the inevitable melee; as did Marcus. The other nine Dwarves let fly their own crossbows with weary battle cries and Lara's flaming arrow sailed just behind then.
Despite his dissatisfaction with his initial volley, Barak's heavy bolts shattered two skeletons to the east with a third bolt glancing harmlessly off a bony shoulder. Lara took out another coming from the north with a well placed arrow that cut through bone to topple another skeleton. Although they were enthusiastic, the other nine Dwarves were not especially effective marksmen; but they were trained to focus their fire. Of the nine bolts fired, three struck the same skeleton approaching from the south- and only when the third bolt landed did it finally fall.
The skeletons continued to march into view; not running, but maintaining a steady jogging pace. Interestingly, those coming from the south split in the middle, avoiding Marcus and Gorrak's obstacles. Nevertheless, the steep hill did much to slow their ascent and force their ranks together. The encampment was almost completely surrounded by over a hundred skeletons forcing their way up the steep hill.
Thane Fenris roared as he commanded his men...
Too bad we don't have some large boulders or logs to push down hill right now...
Round 2-
Kirilarien (action declared)- 27
Barak- 21
Lara- 12
Thane Fenris & Entourage- 12
Skeletons- 8
Marcus, Arachiel, Durin
Active Effects-
Align Weapon (Barak's Crossbow)
Consecrate (Blue Template)
Softened Earth to Mud; (Red Template)
Marcus' Mounds (Black Template)
Bless on all- +1 to attacks and saves VS fear
Shield on Telurion (+4 AC)
Shield of Faith Old Gorrak (+2 AC)
Map-
Link (Round 2)
Notes-
Every PC has two vials of alchemist's fire. Kirilarien has three.
The hill is considered difficult terrain when going uphill!
Round Actions-
Lara gestures with her free hand and begins to incant a spell- as she completes it, the party's movements speed up.
Barak fires again
Lara unleashed that most potent of transmutation spells upon the hardened adventuring company and Thane Fenris; Haste. For his part, Barak simply kept up the fast barrage of bolts; his ammunition smashing apart two more skeletons.
The Thane and his men laid down their crossbows and drew melee weapons- the seven rank and file warriors favoring warhammers and light shields while Old Gorrak produced an ancient Dwarven Waraxe and a heavy metal shield with the crest of King Kroma upon it. Thane Fenris himself wielded an Urgosh; a long hafted double weapon with an axe head on one side and a spear upon the other. Unlike the shield-bearing Dwarves, he had time to raise his weapon high in preparation for the skeletal advance.
As the front rank of skeletons clambered up the hill and reached the defensive line, Telurion and Thane Fenris each struck; the Oracle with his silver mace and Fenris with the axe head of his Urgosh. With his bludgeoning weapon, Telurion caved in the ribs of the skeleton easily, while Fenris had to put impressive force behind his swing to smash through a ribcage with an axe head.
On the west side, one of the skeletons attempted to get past Thulbine and into the encampment via the undefended west wall. The Dwarf swung to smash its legs but it nimbly jumped over the hammer and got clear
Durin dispatched a skeleton with a contemptuous wave of his hammer as it approached Marcus, but its place was quickly taken by another moving behind it.
You detect evil to the west; naturally.
A few skeletons managed to make it inside the encampment, while the front ranks of the skeletons cut off the opening at the west wall and surrounded the encampment completely with encircling skeletal warriors. A second wave hung back a little from the front lines; especially on the clustered east sides of the battlefield.
Some of the skeletons were close enough to get a first strike opportunity on the defenders. At the north-west, Thulbine was particularly hard pressed, but the doughty warrior parried and dodged incoming claws from three separate attackers, singing to his ancestors the whole time. Beside him, Rangar took on his attacker with gusto but the first wound to the defenders was dealt by a fast claw swipe to Bereg, whose face bled as he leapt back a little too late from the attack.
Lara proved far too quick for her own attacker, while Telurion's combination of armour and borrowed arcane magic protected him from three attacks, posted as he was in the dangerous north-east corner.
Along the east wall, the steep hill and distance bought the defenders time enough to not be attacked; with the exception of Marcus, who ducked under an attack directed at him. Beside him in the south-east corner, Kargesh was beset by two attackers; and unable to properly defend against either of them, suffered two claw wounds.
Forced to divert around Marcus and Old Gorrak's terrain, the only Dwarf attacked in these few seconds was Romni; who got his shield up and in the attacking skeleton's face, preventing any real chance to harm him. He raised his warhammer and spat in the Undead's face, ready to turn the tables...
With skeletons already inside the encampment, it was clear that even with the numbers granted by Marcus and his companions; it would be impossible to prevent encirclement with so few men.
Durin begins swatting skeletons with reckless abandon while stepping back to keep them at reach...
Round 2
Feeling vulnerable without his usual magical protection, Marcus sways away from his attacker although he does risk a glance behind.
FOCUS THOSE TO THE WEST! THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO REINFORCE THEIR ENCIRCLEMENT!
Turning back, he focuses again on the wall of bone infront.
Even with their numbers they can't crack us with this. Where is that caster...
Round 3
Abandoning her recon, Kiri sweeps down from above straight into the midst of the skeletons surging up the hill.
Relying on her speed and deceptive toughness to repel an array of claws the lyrakien sings a single pure note that unleashes a blast of holy starlight in a 5 foot burst.