"You're no fun, Mr. Boulderhead. I was just about to put a 'Kick Me!' note on the next bolt.", chuckles Lys, sticking her tongue out of her mouth. "You want to go now? Don't want to see any of the other ones wake up. Not really morning people, giants, it seems.", she says, continuing down the tunnel.
Looks like some are still in good spirits despite the undead rising. Still I wonder why giant skeletons have been left here. Beltzer muses looking at the other giant skeleton.
He looks over to Wulf who once again has been bitten by a shadow rat Sorry oldtimer, spirits can only do so much in a day. Tomorrow if you're still afflicted I can try again. Beltzer shrugs apologetically.
I don't know why they were left here, but I hope none of the bastards wake up again, Arlan says, brushing bone dust off his pants as he picks up his spear.
He moves next to Wulfrum to aid his search.
"I would think that a certain amount of caution would help. Such as not smashing them while they slept unprovoked. That does tend to make the dead rather vengeful."
Having explored a few ruins himself, normally keeping quiet and your hands to yourself saved you a lot of pain and undead wrath.
Varin follows after the Skeleton and begins to strip it of its armour. "Damn big but I ain't about to waste that perfectly good metal!"
Arlan smacks Varin on the shoulder.
We can do that later--we need to catch these bastards who are sneaking around!
Varin glanced over his shoulder and at Arlan before shrugging. "Fair enough. Lead on so then!"
After stopping Varin from looting, you continue carefully walking for another minute and enter another large natural cavern. Ledges, ten feet above the floor of the 25-ft high chamber, and stairs leading to them are carved into the stone walls of this wide-open, high-ceilinged natural cavern. Embedded in a fifteen-foot-tall spire of centuries-old bones stands the skeleton of a massive armored warrior. Though its flesh has long since rotted off its frame, the skeleton still stands proud and regal amid the trappings of battle and mounds of gleaming treasure. The skeleton’s battered halfplate and scarred helmet hint at its many battles, and the warlord’s hands are clenched around a massive stone hammer. Beneath the helmet, a thick, round rock has been embedded in one of the skeleton’s otherwise empty eye sockets.
Arlan 38/38 AC 21
Beltzer 27/30 AC 16
Lys 33/33 AC 16
Mohs 33/33 AC 16
Nerak 24/24 AC 14
Wulfrum 24/27 AC 20 Strength -2
Varin 38/38 AC 20
what's the bets on that one raising from the dead too? This really is a graveyard isn't it? Hoi, slightly depressing thinking about it. Shall we prepare for that thing moving? Beltzer asks while hefting his sword.
"Now THAT is a hammer and a half. Oh big boy you best not come alive. Just hand it over nice and easy..." Varin hefts his hammer and stands ready.
Lys chuckles at Beltzer. "Well, I guess graveyards are depressing, now that I think of it. Look on the bright side, at least there's no vampires in here!", as she takes aim at the skeleton. "Just in case.", she says, her smile waning from her face. Or werewolves... "I hope it's those kind of ancient skeletons that give you their weapon and name you a king in their stead. Obviously that makes the hammer mine, should that happen.", she says, grinning at Varin. "Queen Elize the Wise, Beautiful and Humble has a ring to it."
Varin begins to laugh softly, shaking his head as he glanced over at Elize. "Wise, beautiful and ever so humble. Well... If it IS that type of Skeleton, how about you keep the title and I keep the hammer? That is a monster of a weapon you are lugging around but I don't think you can sling that hammer as easy!" Varin winked, before turning his gaze back to the Skeleton.
"I can be your Champion or something. Arl can be head of the Queens Guard. Mohs and Nerak can be the Arch Magi of the Kingdom and Wulfrum can be Head Diplomat, Religious Leader and General Grump!"
Wulfrum shook his head at the chatter they were going on about. He looked up at the skeleton "Well, might as well spring the trap if it exists..." he said as he took a defensive stance and began to inch forwards with his shield held hard in front.
Nerak cast a simple spell to detect magic and scans the place with crossbow in hand. Personally he doubted the skeleton was a guardian, it would have reacted to their earlier battle. More so he did not think they would have gone through all the trouble of burying him in his best simply to make him a guard for treasure. Seemed to be counter to the point of the place, unless he was a form of intelligent undead in which case that would be acceptable and most disastrous for them.
A spell of Detect Magic reveals the presence of magic within your radius . The hill giant appears to be someone important and dead for a long time. You would have to closely examine the rock, items, weapons and armor to make any guesses.
Lys pretends to be deep in thought when Varin speaks. After a pause, she replies in a pretentious tone, "We decided that we will allow this arrangement."
As she finishes, she frowns, before gripping The Messenger hard and raising her hand. "We're not alone. Someone's breathing heavily, and I don't think it's Wulfrum." , turning towards the source of the noise.
and what do I get Varin? Court jester or wit? Beltzerchuckles noticing he'd been left out of the list.
By gods what else lives under here. Beltzer whispers as he turns the same direction as Elise to see if he can pick out what she looking at.
Show yourself! Arlan yells a challenge, moving next to Lys.
Nerak's spell of Detect Magic reveals the presence of magic within his radius. The hill giant appears to be someone important and dead for a long time. You would have to closely examine the rock, items, weapons and armor to make any guesses.
In response to Arlan's yell, two deep-throated growls rubble throughout the cavern.
Wulfrum continued to creep forwards towards the giant his shield razed as he tries to stay prepared for the next enemy.
Arlan matches strides with Wulf, planting his spear butt into the ground and leveling the point in the direction of the wolves.
Hrm, you sure these aren't overgrown puppies, maybe a mutated lycanthrope? Beltzer says, starting to move between the back line and the front.
Nerak keeps the crossbow ready to fire should they attack.
"Those are direwolves, the very same I already identified earlier I would bet."
Lys' eyes grow wide as Beltzer mentions lycantropes. S~#~, s&@#, s@+&., her hand going towards her boot. As soon as Nerak clarifies the suspicions, she sighs in relief. "Great. That's... better.", as she raises her crossbow towards them.
"Why were they hiding? I didn't think wolves were ambush predators...", she says, turning towards Nerak.
"Lone wolves can and will become ambush predators. But that aside, I would say that one of the two other footprint owners are their masters. They are acting akin to guard dogs, following their training I'd think."
Varin glanced over at Beltzer before grinning. "Sorry Bel, I meant to say that. I was thinking more of High Bard. Or Grand Diplomat. Something like that!"
Dropping his chin to his chest, Varin pushed forward, moving up beside the old Dwarf. "Whats got on over here Old Man? We skin those wolves we may have some nice furs to keep those old bones warm for winter!"
These two immense black wolves are the size of horses, their bared fangs as large and sharp as knives. They stay where they are growling at you.
Wulfrum lowers his shield a bit as he moves forwards "Here kitty kitty...." he said as he pounds his war hammer against his shield.
This is getting ridiculous with all these creatures in here. Beltzer sighs drawing a bow as he walks up and notches an arrow. "Hey get ready for these things to charge at you, raise your weapons when you're ready and I'll shoot. I'm getting tired of everything standing in our way to protect our home.
I'll draw them in! Arlan says, advancing next to Wulfrum and hurling a blade at one of the wolves.
"Well, if you insist!", shouts Lys as she keeps firing at the same wolf targeted by Arlan.
The shots go wide, and she swears quietly. "Right. Looks like I need to calibrate that thing again when we have the time..."
Nerak reloads his crossbow and fires again.
Varin followed up after Wulfrum and Arlan, readying himself for the oncoming wolves tightening his grip on his earthbreaker.
Wulfrum lowers his shield a bit as he moves forwards "Here kitty kitty...." he said as he pounds his war hammer against his shield.
“I'll draw them in! Arlan says, advancing next to Wulfrum and hurling a blade at one of the wolves.
"Well, if you insist!" shouts Lys as she keeps firing at the same wolf targeted by Arlan. The shots go wide, and she swears quietly. "Right. Looks like I need to calibrate that thing again when we have the time..."
Nerak reloads his crossbow and fires again.
Varin followed up after Wulfrum and Arlan, readying himself for the oncoming wolves tightening his grip on his earthbreaker.
This is getting ridiculous with all these creatures in here. Beltzer sighs drawing a bow as he walks up and notches an arrow. "Hey get ready for these things to charge at you, raise your weapons when you're ready and I'll shoot. I'm getting tired of everything standing in our way to protect our home.”
The wounded wolf cries when the chakram embeds into its shoulder. It snarls and finally moves forward toward the thrower. The second wolf growls and stand firm.
Then, from in the shadows of the corner on the ledge of the cavern, you hear a Hurumph. An alchemist's fire lands on the backside of Wulfrum exploding in a ten foot radius and precisely missing the dire wolf.
Arlan 33/38 AC 21
Beltzer 27/30 AC 16
Lys 33/33 AC 16
Mohs 33/33 AC 16
Nerak 24/24 AC 14
Wulfrum 15/27 AC 20 Strength -2 and on Fire!
Varin 33/38 AC 20Dire Wolf: AC 14 T 11 FF 12 CMD 20. Fort +7 Ref +6 Will +2.
Half-orc: AC 20 T 15 FF 15 CMD 19. Fort +5 Ref +9 Will +1.
Oh no you don't Beltzer thinks to himself as someone begins bombing the front line. Beltzer steps up behind the line giving him a clearer view of the ledge the bomb was thrown from then puts a fog cloud on starting on the edge of the ledge expanding 20 feet up and down likely filling the cavern. His aim is to prevent whatever is up there to change position so they can better get at him instead of the ledge he appears to be on.
Reloading yet again he aims to finish off the wounded direwolf. Taking aim and firing again.
Lys grunts in annoyance, firing once again at the wolf in the fray. "Stand still while I'm shooting you, damnit!"
Two bolts finally hitting their mark, she sighs a quiet thanks and takes a small step forward.
Wulfrum face twisted into a seething mess of rage, fire, and beard. He lifted his shield above his where he kept his holy symbol and caused a downpour above his head to extinguish the fire. He began to angrily start forwards, his feet crunching bone underneath as he stomped.
Arlan grimaces from pain of the flame, then steps around and drives his elbow at the wolf's eyes.
Oh no you don't Beltzer thinks to himself as someone begins bombing the front line. Beltzer steps up behind the line giving him a clearer view of the ledge the bomb was thrown from then puts a fog cloud on starting on the edge of the ledge expanding 20 feet up and down likely filling the cavern. His aim is to prevent whatever is up there to change position so they can better get at him instead of the ledge he appears to be on.
Reloading yet again he aims to finish off the wounded direwolf. Taking aim and firing again.
Arlan grimaces from pain of the flame, then steps around and drives his elbow at the wolf's eyes.
Lys grunts in annoyance, firing once again at the other wolf in the fray. "Stand still while I'm shooting you, damnit!" Two bolts finally hitting their mark, she sighs a quiet thanks and takes a small step forward.
Wulfrum face twisted into a seething mess of rage, fire, and beard. He lifted his shield above his where he kept his holy symbol and caused a downpour above his head to extinguish the fire. He began to angrily start forwards, his feet crunching bone underneath as he stomped.
Varin charges the other wolf and imprints the head of his earthbreaker on the dire wolves shoulder.
The remaining wolf cries when the earthbreaker in imprints on its shoulder. It growls and fails to bite Varin. Then, it retreats a step.
Then, from in the shadows of another corner, you hear a Hurumph after hearing some expeditious footsteps.
Arlan 28/38 AC 21
Beltzer 27/30 AC 16
Lys 33/33 AC 16
Mohs 33/33 AC 16
Nerak 24/24 AC 14
Wulfrum 10/27 AC 20 Strength -2 and on Fire!
Varin 33/38 AC 20Dire Wolf: AC 14 T 11 FF 12 CMD 20. Fort +7 Ref +6 Will +2.
Half-orc: AC 20 T 15 FF 15 CMD 19. Fort +5 Ref +9 Will +1.