Finnrick and Millsy stay slightly behind Jaed leaving about 30 feet in between them. They move quietly through the woods.
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Jaed hurries back to where the group is and signals Finnrick to follow him. Once they all reunite he whispers: "Five skeletons armed with scimitars heading this way. Oh man, I don't keep good memories from skeletons. We should hide and hope they don't see us."
I don't know about hiding. Seems like it would take a long time, and I really don't know if our friend here could even do it. <She indicates their troubled guide.> I think we either need to swing around them, if that is possible, so we can keep following the cultists, or we need to get through them somehow. Do they look too strong to fight? Is there time to get out of their way?
Hide? From skeletons? Why would we do that... Biting his tongue, Carrakas waits for a decision from the others, fine to follow their lead, though his eager gaze toward where Jaed indicates probably gives away his inclination.
"We have had some trouble with skeletons haven't we?" Finnrick asks Jaed. "perhaps we could attempt to hide and ambush them. Carrakas, you come with me I have something for you if we do fight"
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"Trouble with skeletons?" says Lily, her brow furrowed. "They're among the weakest of animated dead."
"You are the authority here on the undead. I still say we set an ambush. Since we know they're coming it can't hurt. But we've little time. Millsy go with Marzela keep those things away from her."
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"Ah, yes, of course, an ambush is always a better option," says Lily.
Marzela isn't sure if their guide understands the concept of an ambush anymore, but she tells him they have to hide, and then, miming what they need to do, tries to help him hide and encourages him to be still and silent.
At the same time she attempts to hide herself, although that is definitely not a strength.
"Yes Finnrick, we had a good ration of undead in that crypt."
The rogue let's out a long sight. "Ok, looks y'all are eager for some action. Let's prepare that ambush then."
The groups quickly looks to find hiding places behind bushes and douse all their light sources. The smelly man sits down behind his designated bush and quickly begins scribbling in a journal, continuing even when there's not light to see by. Luckily for the members of the group without darkvision, a light source soon begins to approach in the form of flaming skeletons. Their red eyes scan the forest looking for any prey. As the group waits for them to get closer, there's a rather loud screetchhhh of metal as Carrakas stands in preparation for rushing at the creatures followed by an immediate groan from Lily. The skeletons immediately begin heading for the sounds.
"Use ranged attacks if possible!" shouts Lily. "They explode when broken!"
Lily exhales hard, then as she breathes in there's a sense of an eerie warping in the air, like a heat-haze over mist - though such a thing would never happen naturally - and she exudes some kind of shiver-inducing momentary energy.
Marzela casts a spell from where she is:
Blue and Green Skeletons take the damage and need to make a DC 15 fort save or be stunned for a round. (Effect is instantaneous, but put the yellow circle up to show area of effect. It affects *everyone* so if any of our party is there when it goes off, they get damage as well.)
School evocation [sonic]; Level bard 2, cleric/oracle 2
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F/DF (a musical instrument)
EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area 10-ft.-radius spread
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude partial; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
You blast an area with a tremendous cacophony. Every creature in the area takes 1d8 points of sonic damage and must succeed on a Fortitude save to avoid being stunned for 1 round. Creatures that cannot hear are not stunned but are still damaged.
In an attempt to keep the skeletons at range Finnrick casts Entangle, a spell that if done right should do just that.
If the plants in the area are covered in thorns, those in the area take 1 point of damage each time they fail a save against the entangle or fail a check made to break free. Other effects, depending on the local plants, might be possible at GM discretion.
DC 16 Reflex initially and DC 16 STR or Escape artist to break free
Millsy stays and Protects Marzela
Carrakas flinches as his armor makes a loud noise, giving their position away. He finds himself getting angry, and then just rolls with it, allowing that anger to flow through him. He accesses a piece of his tiefling heritage, feeling the anger, and letting it make him stronger. A low growl escapes his lips, as he glares at the flaming skeletons.
Jaed rolls his eyes when he hears the noises coming from Carrakas and Lily's positions. One day I will be able to find some companions that can just keep quiet...
"What the heck! Exploding skeletons! Really?!" the rogue yells back while he contemplates the spells going off. Not wanting to get any closer to the skeletons he sheathes one of his swords and prepares to throw one of his daggers .
As a barrage of spells go off, many of the skeletons attempt to flee Lily's terrifying aura of goodness. However, only one of the skeleton is able to avoid the sudden plant growth and begin running away. The fifth skeleton still looks like it wants to kill you all, gnashing its teeth together menacingly, but the white grass holds it in place.
Finnrick begins to summon.
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Marzela moves, and channels to harm undead (DC 15 save for half damage) <--Yellow circle should be area of effect.
Jaed does not feel like getting closer to the exploding skeletons so he prepares to throw a dagger. He remembers that pointy things were not very effective against skeletons. Maybe the dagger hits with its hilt, the rogue wishes.
Carrakas channels his anger into the earth around him, as the earth begins to shake and earthen matter starts to loudly and quickly swirl in toward him.
The earthen display continues, longer than previous displays he has made, as he focuses his gaze on the farther skeleton.
The earthen power finishes it's display, and Carrakas suddenly shoots off toward the nearest skeleton, a hammer forming in his free hand as he goes.
He nimbly dodges any grasping vines as he shoots off toward the skeleton. When he arrives next to it, he takes a swing with his hammer.
However, his speed causes him to overcompensate, and he swings right past it.
Western Orange: 9
Southern Orange: 10
Yellow: 4
A wave of positive energy washes over many of the skeletons, who are now looking noticeably worse for wear though all remain standing. Meanwhile Finnrick begins summoning something to aid the group and Carrakas rushes in to melee. Jaed prepares to strike should any foe dare approach as Lily moves in closer to the undead creatures.
The skeleton that managed to break free of the entangled area continues to flee, terrified of Lily as its companions attempt to likewise free themselves. Only one, however, manages to succeed and immediately begins heading in the other direction, only to get stuck once again at the very edge of the entangled area.
Lily points her hand and launches a beam of pure positive energy at the nearest skeleton.
Marzela moves and channels to harm undead again.
Edit:
A small lighting elemental appears and rushes toward the fleeing skeleton and attempts to slam into it.
He then begins to cast another spell by looking into the sky.
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Watching the skeletons are weakening because of the spells, Jaed approaches the edge of the entangled area. Wanting to contribute to the fight, he throws the dagger that he is holding at the closest skeleton.
Red: 17
Southern Orange: 10
Yellow: 12
The combined power of Marzela and Lily manages to bring down one skeleton just in time for Jaed's dagger to go whizzing harmlessly through the ball of fire as it explodes.
Meanwhile Finnrick's elemental slams into the fleeing skeleton, who in terror continues to flee.
Carrakas , still avoiding the grasping vines, move towards the next closest skeleton and attempt to slam it with his weapon.
Dealing it a mighty blow, that one also explodes is a burst of fire. That the warrior once again shrugs off.
Snarling, the remaining skeletons struggle once again against the vines. One manages to break free and runs straight at Carrakas only to get entangled once again while the other remains stuck.
Marzela still can't move, but she channels again, figuring they were going to theoretically sleep soon anyway, so it didn't matter if she used up a lot of her healing.
The elemental crackles with electric energy as at slams into the fleeing skeleton.
As the the spell completes Finnrick points at the orange skeleton and a bolt of lightning shoots down out of the sky striking it.
If the AOO kills the skeleton he will charge another (alive?) skeleton. It can charge 200 ft. So it will go for whichever is closest if it doesn't kill it with AOO use these rolls for him charging the fleeing guy.
New AC 12
Millsy absent-mindedly cleans her claws.
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Carrakas flinches slightly as a bit of the skeleton's flame gets through his thick hide.
As he begins to look for a new target, the vines snare in a crease of his armor. He snarls in annoyance, and attempts to pull free. However, he doesn't quite have the strength to break the vines.
Not feeling really needed in the fight, Jaed unsheathes his other sword and stays where he is, prepared to attack in the remote case any of the skeletons comes within his reach.
Lily continues to launch beams of positive energy.
With a series of flashes and explosions, the remaining skeletons all die in balls of fire and the group is plunged into complete and utter darkness.
Finnrick calls down a few more bolts of lightning before letting go of the spell. The darkness envelopes him and he casts light on his scimitar to make it easier to see. Millsy saunters over to his side as though she hadn't just sat out of the entire fight.
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Marzela remains stuck in the middle of the entangled area.
"sorry"Finnrick says with a wave of his hand the foliage goes back to its normal self.
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"That went better than expected!" says Lily perkily.
The rogue tries to look for his lost dagger with the help of the little light coming from Finnrick's scimitar. He does not have much hope of finding it but it is worth 2 gp and 2 gp are 2 gp.
"We may make camp. It is hard to see anything now," he says while he is walking around the combat zone.
Marzela sees Jaed's dagger, grabs it, and hands it to him carefully so he doesn't cut himself in the dark.
Then she casts Cure Serious Wounds (just in case, because she has extra spells for the night), goes over to the crazy guy, and quickly pulls out the arrow and heals him immediately after.
There, doesn't that feel better now? she says soothingly, hoping he isn't going to run off again. Let's sleep for a while, and then go find the mask people, okay?
(assuming he is just human... if he is something else and just looks human, then 2 less)
If he is okay, she gives him a blanket and leads him to a relatively flat area. She does the same for Jaed if he needs it (helping him to a relatively flat area and laying out his bedroll).
(Still assuming that crazy guy doesn't run off again)
She goes over and heals Carrakas, and tells him she is going to sleep but to wake her if needed.
I'll have to remember to prepare a light spell for tomorrow she thinks, before drifting off to sleep, too tired to try to stay up longer and keep watch.
Finnian finds a suitable area to camp and casts hide campsite. "there, we shouldn't need watches with this. No one should find us here" he then drifts off, getting some much needed rest.
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"Thanks" Carrakas says to Marzela after she heals him. He then joins the others in preparing for the night.
The group sets up camp. The man continues to write madly in his journal, failing to notice Marzela move closer as she pulls out the arrow and heals him. The good news is that the wound doesn't look infected. The bad news is that she almost vomits a couple of times from the sheer stench. Possibly the worst news of all is that Finnrick's spell means the entire group has to be uncomfortably close to the man as they fall asleep, making it take longer than usual to find the bliss of unconsciousness.
No one dreams that nights, and the group remains undisturbed. One by one people begin to wake up only to be confronted once again by the rotten stench of your softly snoring companion. It's not a great way to greet the day. Nevertheless the group eats a quick breakfast and packs up their camp ready to continue onwards.
The man continues to lead the group in the same south-eastern direction as before. After about an hour and a half of travel, you reach the edge of this odd, white forest to see what appears to be a river a couple of hundred feet ahead of you. However, the water seems to be black. Vaguely, far off to the west, you can hear the roar of what is most likely a waterfall.
Jaed is thankful that Marzela finds his dagger.
The next day, the moment he sees the river, the rogue comments: "Someone here could use a bath. Even that black water can't make things worse." He then continues to follow the man.