Kynneth moves towards the door in the back of the crypt. He examines it as he gets closer.
Devin also begins examining the door, specifically for traps or other devices.
As you inspect the door it almost seems to open slightly at your smalest touch.
As you open it further you find a well lit room braziers strewn about it except the very far wall, leaving that side in shadow where two burning green lights stare out at you. Then a strange rough cackling sound begins to reverberate around the room as the door shuts loudly leaving you all inside the room. Soon you realizd the sound is laughter issuing from a non existent throat. And then the voice begins to cackle and speak pausing as if to draw breath to long turned to dust lungs.
[b]"Well well the guests have decided to join ussss....They have broken down the master's door....do they know the master? No no....they are just pupptesss....come to find him....come...to join me in death....Come puppets let us see how you die...{/b]
Then slowly with the clank of ancient armor steps out a skeleton that is garbed in the armor of a king, its eyes blazing with a ghostly green light as it tilts it's head to draw out a large elegant sword from its back a shiled already strapped to it's fleshless arm.
This monster has reanimated the noble dead! Hermia's mind reel.
"Erastil, lend us your grace, that we might dispatch the bones of the most hallowed dead. And to triumph o'er the demon that raised him."
Devin
Gaeron
Hermia
Kynneth
Skeleton Champion
For purposes of speed won't be allowing a map this time as there is one enemy approximately 20 feet away from you.
Order of Combat
Hermia
Gaeron
Devin
Champion
Kynneth
Hermia moves up and casts on Brother Abraxus, granting him a +2 deflection bonus to AC.
"This is no average skeleton. Please, do be careful."
Gaeron feels her touch on his arm and he quickly interposes himself between the others beside Devin and the Skeletal Revenent, holding his mace and touching his chest while murmuring a spell to Apsu to Shield him from harm for what little good it would do.
AC now 16
He gives Hermia the tiniest of looks while trying to keep his eyes on the deadly opponent in front of them and he nods wordlessly.
"Really! What gave it away, the armor or the talking?"
The skeleton looks down as the crossbow indeeds strikes his sheidl but merely bounces off.
Surprisingly the Skeleton halts it's advance and begins that manical laughter again jarring the party's nerves.
"Oh yessss....the Massster will be indeed pleased when I disssplay your bodiessss to him. Ssssooo much trouble over a group ssso weak." He rattels off to himself uncaring of the group as he sees them as nonthreatening to him.
Kynneth your action
Kynneth mutters a few arcane words, and a silver dart shoots forth from the end of his extended finger. The dart streaks unerringly at the skeleton, striking it.
The skeletal champion pauses in it's laughter looking at the smoking hole in its armor and then looks up it's eyes blazing in renewed fury staring straight at Kynneth.
"PUNY MORTAL! I shall tear out your beating heart and offer it to my Massster! And then I shall give your body to the corpse walkers to let them feed and rend your body apart as all the others!"
Intimidate Demoralize, Kynneth DC is 14
Kynneth you are now Shaken as the condition for 1 round will disappear after your next action
GULP!!!
For what it is worth, Hermia moves so that the Skeletal Champion is within 30' of her, and Channels Energy (4/5) to HARM Will Saving Throw DC 13 for half of damage.
Gaeron growls and interposes himself between Hermia, Kynneth and the Skeleton again and he steps forwards, raising his mace in one hand and then opening the other towards the Champion in a claw from which a ray of light shoots forth to lance at the Undead creature.
Disrupt Undead
Ranged Touch
Damage
The lance of Undead-rebuking light hits the champion in a flash of white light.
Channel Resistance It takes 1 damage
The skeleton takes the wash of energy from the woman laughing not really feeling the slight flash of burning light as yet another crossbow bolt thunks into it's shield. However with the blast of energy it receives from the large cleric the Skeleton howls with rage.
The skeleton champion raises its sword in rage and strides forward 1Gaeron 2Devin 3Kyn
to Hit
if hit
The sword slices just shy of Kynneth's throat glancing at the last second of the glowing magical armor.
"DIE!"
Eyes widening, Kynneth barks out the words to disrupt the evil that holds this creature's force on this plane.
Confirm Crit: (doh!!! I knew it!!)
damage:
Hermia moves forward and attempts to assist Gaeron with hitting the skeleton. Placing her arms around his, she guides his next strike, lending him +2 to his next attack.
Five-foot step back away from the Skeleton
Ranged Touch Attack Roll
Disrupt Undead
Gaeron steps back from the Skeleton slashing at Kynneth with its foul blade and he aims another blast of reubuking light at the creature, hoping to return it to its natural dead form.
Devin takes a step up to the Skeleton while drawing his short sword. "Kynneth, get back!" He then preforms a feint maneuver.
The skeleton turns following Devin's odd movements growling loudly and raises its sword swinging at the ranger slicing bodily through his armor across his chest and laughs manically as he watches Devin slump to the floor.
Sword
If hit
Seeing his companion go down to the fell attack of the skeleton, Kynneth takes a step back (5' step away from the skeleton) and quickly racks his memory for anything that might help give he an edge against this creature. He calls upon the magic in his blood and strikes the skeleton with a heavenly fire.
Seeing the skeleton crumble, Hermia immediately goes to Mister Devin.
"Crass brute. You might at least have stood a few moments longer."
Hermia kneels down and takes ten on her heal check to assess Devin's wounds and his ability to continue should she heal him.
Con:
We cannot continue in this state, Hermia surmises, leaning over Mister Devin. Among the group, she was the only uninjured, and if she channeled again, it would be for the final time. After that... she would become useless. If they were attacked again on their return from the cemetery, they might all die.
"If we are to leave this place, we cannot do so carrying so much weight," Hermia decides, and takes her holy symbol in hand.
Hermia Channels Energy (5/5) to Heal damage.
Kynneth again utters a few words in the celestial tongue, pouring possitive energy into the battered form of Devin
As the last dancing glow of the magical flames fade away, Devin's eyes open wide and he begins to cough and sputter. "Ouch."
Suddenly the party hears the rapid approach of footstpes followed by shouts of query. Then a ragged shout of "In here, I found them!" Comes forth and Col and aband of villagers all armed run in looking about the crypt.
Calmly Col strides forward his eyes searching about until they fall on the skeleton's remains. "So it is true, the village fell under a mass attack soon after you all left and then suddenly the skeletons and these walking corpses just start to fade back into the woods many just falling apart."
Shaking his head as if in disbelief he continues "This thing must've been some sort of conduit or something, did it say anythingbefore you defeated it? It might be of use laater on, but the village needs your aid and it seems your party did not come out unscathed."
Turning he shouts to the escort, "Men help these heros up and lets get them all to town."
Before he leaves, Kynneth scans the area for magic, checking the skeleton specifically. He then lends his arm to Hermia, gently leading her back out into the fresh, clean air.
"It said Master would be pleased if it defeated us," Hermia answers, then shakes her head. "Why would he attack the village?" she questions aloud, and frowns.
"I regret that I am without magics, but my hands are more skilled than most, I imagine."
Hermia spares Kynneth a polite 'thank you' for his cordiality, but it is clear that her concern and her attention is focused on assisting the villagers.
Devin gets to his feet, with the help of the villagers. "Does anyone know who's tomb this was supposed to be?" he asks to the collective group.
Gaeron sighs deeply and stows his mace in his belt, then glances down again at the now unmoving mass of bones and armor that was the dire creature and he mutters a quick prayer to Apsu to grant whoever originally was the corpse a peaceful afterlife, as his remains had not seen justice. Then he makes sure everyone is all right and then turns to question the conviently arrived Cole and his fellow villagers on the events of the most recent days.