Jonnie withdraws, her spells not so useful.
Torrosk circles around behind the skeletons, careful not to get inside their reach before committing to his attack. "Pharasma, help me end these abominations.
Radavek's slash goes wide, and the skeletons move to surround Torrosk and attack the Paladin with their claws. Only one manages to pierce the Paladin's armor, drawing a trickle of blood.
Torrosk responds fiercely with a devastating blow, crushing bone and causing the skeleton to shatter into a spray of bones.
...
...
Radavek keeps sliding right as he sweeps a roundhouse blow at the next skeleton.
Following in Torrosk's path, Radavek brings his scimitar around in a deadly sweep, catching the exposed spine of a skeleton and slicing the creature clean in half - the dead bones clattering to the floor inanimate.
With one remaining, Viniana takes a swing at it and connects firmly, but the blade skips off the hard bone, not damaging the undead creature.
Jonnie shoots an acid dhot.
Jonhilda misses the undead creature.
Ravin approaches, not running forward this time, his short legs bringing him alongside the lovely Shelynite, his expression somewhat sour, Oh, sure, I can insult them, but they're mindless and not likely to care one way or another. He keeps his rapier in hand, then looks up at the cleric and chuckles, "You know, I rather wish that thing has a livers for me to stab."
The skeleton claws at Torrosk, unaware or uncaring of its impending demise. One claw comes close to a crook in the half-orcs armor, but he twists out of the way, and the attacks fail.
Viniana moves around to the opposite side of the skeleton from Radavek and readies to swing her glaive at the skeleton in the hopes she will hit. Looking at Radavek, "Move in sir and distract it!"
Torrosk hefts the flail again and brings it crashing down on the skeleton.
Radavek glances at Viniana as he turns aside a slashing claw. He moves in to 'distract' the skeleton with a downward slice.
... (+2 more to hit from flanking?)
Ravin rushes to the skeleton, then starts jabbing at it randomly, trying to help his companions strike it down.
Jonnie stumbles over the benches to take a shot not obstructed, but still has to hit into combat.
Corrosive acid spills on the skeleton.
The acid splashes on the skeleton, and when combined with the damage to his bones already caused is enough to destroy the integrity that holds together the undead bones, and the unholy being collapses into a pile.
The acolyte who you saved from the skeleton appears to be in shock, but the priestess who has joined you is able to get him to focus again now that the threat has passed.
“We went into the catacombs below the cathedral following our high priest in search of the moonshard. It was dark and and confusing and we became separated from High Priest Juriendor. He pushed ahead, desperate to find the moonshard. He said that we could all die without it. As we tried to find Jureindor again, we were...set upon by the dead of the crypt and now I fear we may never see our Juriendor alive again; he disappeared into darkness. Please, go in search of him! Our healing is spent and I fear all we can do now is pray to our god to save us all from this evil.”
Jonnie moves to the acolyte:
"You did good, soon. We will handle it from here. Let's go."
Jonnie follows the others in search of the Priest.
What is up with these humans? We volunteered to help?
Now that there are not skeletons attacking, Vinianna kneels to check on the acolyte's injuries.
She finishes examining him and says, "I'm afraid there is little I can do for you, if you were a painting and sculpture I could fix you, or a text I could copy you. Sadly dealing with human injuries is something I am far less proficient at. With any luck you should be safe here."
Standing up she turns to the people who came to help her. She pushes her glasses back up from where they slipped during the fighting, "one of these days I need to find a way to keep these from sliding down like that. Thank you for your help, I'm Vinianna Alteressa, an art preservationists for my goddess Shelyn. Who might you be?"
Ravin bows with a flourish and says, "I am Ravin Thornfable, formerly of Korvosa.. and unlikely to return." He points to the others in turn, saying, "This fine fellow is Radavek, a fierce warrior and fellow Varisian. Torrosk is a mite grim and serious for my tastes, but an upstanding and goodnatured sort, especially for a half-orc. And the elf, an invoker, is Jonhilda, our resident charmer... Mind her, she's very friendly and likes to hug."
Despite a slight smirk, the halfling manages to complete the introductions in the same affable tone.
At the mention of his name, Radavek looks at Viniana and smiles. He is a muscly young man of average height. His olive skin and black hair indicate Varisian descent, although his nose is a longer than average.
Clearly a warrior, he wears studded leather armor and bears a steel shield. A belt loaded with daggers, a scimitar and a quiver of arrows girds his waist.
... An injured acolyte is being tended by a woman bearing the holy symbol of Shelyn. He shouts “The crypt, the dead that dwell there...they have always protected our cathedral. They have been turned, made to rise up against us! Can the gods have forsaken us?”
He strides over to the acolyte. "What did you mean, 'the dead protect our cathedral?!'"
The acolyte turns to Radavek surprised by his tone.
"Our dead are laid to rest in the catacombs below the Cathedral and always have been. It is the way it has been for as long as I remember. That way their spirits guard our holy endeavors! Now some unknown force has corrupted them and turned them into unholy creatures that attack us!"
The practice of having a grave site connected with a church so that the dead help protect the temple is often considered a superstition, but it is also a serious practice of several legitimate religions.
Looking at Radavek, "You do realize that what he says is generally a common superstition, though there are a few religions that actually take such practices from the realm of superstition into that of reality." Here words are a statement more than a question, though she doesn't speak down to him.
Torrosk growls at the mention of the undead, "It's a violation of Pharasma's domain, and a perversion of the natural order, and now you see what toying with that can lead to.
Fools toying with power they don't understand or control and it comes back to bite them. I would leave them to their fate, but I have been tasked.
He turns to Viniana with a very proper courtly bow, "My apologies Viniana, for the outburst. I am Torrosk Brokenblade, in Pharasma's graces, He glowers at the other priest, "tasked with scourging the world of undead like the ones these fools would use to their own ends."
Jonnie is somewhat speechless after her introduction.
"He has some evidence to support his claim."
Radavek shakes his head. "A clean burial and move on, is how my people do it. You can't carry the dead with you in the caravan."
He returns his attention to the acolyte. "Speak plainly. Does your church raise undead to guard the catacombs?"
"A pleasure to meet all of you. Now, I'm curious, what exactly are you doing here anyway, I thought I was the only visitor just now"
Ravin watches and winces, This could go badly... , then happily jumps into a conversation less likely to lead to a dark place, "We're not visitors... We were tracking down some young folks from Magnimar, and their route led this way... And then followed everyone to the safety of the Cathedral... Though it ended up being a little less safe than promised."
Taking in what Ravin says Viniana asks, "Why were you tracking them down? Did they commit a crime or something?"
"Her father didn't approve of her suitor. Since the suitor has run so far, I think there may be something to his suspicions."
"Hmmm, sounds to me like maybe they knew he would be this persistent. Oh, I'll grant you that maybe there is something else going on...regardless, it actually sounds rather romantic to me."
Radavek intones solemnly, "If a man can't face his wife's father and brothers, he doesn't deserve her."
Then he breaks into a grin. "It seemed like an easy way to make some gold and buy a new horse. Instead it's become a great adventure. I might never have come this way, never seen this road."
He's just as quickly serious again. "Although this situation seems rather dire."
Ravin chuckles, "Considering the man was willing to spend enough gold to hire us, well, I'm thinking getting away from him might have been the girl's idea... Especially if she's blinded by the tales of romance spread by folks like me.". He chuckles slightly at the last bit.
Considering what's been going on, Viniana seems to reach a conclusion before speaking, "Well, I guess I'd better help you clear up what ever problem is going on. I won't get my work finished if I keep getting interrupted by skeletons intent on murdering me and I do dislike being interrupted all the time." As she gestures you can see she has been working on transcribing several books and copying a painting.
Ravin nods, "Dark elves and undead can really interfere with a person's plans.."
He smiles and says, "May I ask what you were working on before this strange tide of darkness so rudely interrupted?"
Jonnie examines the human priestess with some interest. She comments:
"Some humans actually pursue knowledgeable and cultural pursuits with more than a passing dedication. Admirable."
Jonnie looks around.
"We ready to go into the crypts?"
Her face lighting up at Ravin's request, "Why I would be delighted to, come with me." She leads Ravin, and any others who follow, over to her work space, "These texts are very old, a century at least, and in poor repair. You can see on this one," she gently strokes a nearly destroyed spine on one of the books, "is one of the oldest, and was almost destroyed before I could start on it." Her voice sounds sad as she speaks of the state of the book, "I've made it a priority, but it is hard to read through and copy due to the state of the pages." She gently opens the book and it's easy to see what she means, the writing is faded and the pages torn. "Thankfully I just finished when the acolyte ran in. The last pages crumbled when I was startled by the man's entrance." Her voice chokes up slightly at the thought of having failed to finish the copy.
She moves away from the books to the paintings, "These are obviously becoming faded from age, fortunately, they are in better shape than the books were. You can see this one here," the painting is a take on the Boneyard, Pharasma in the center and the great old one above her, "is of Pharasma in the Boneyard. It's the most striking piece of the group and the one I have been working on first. I took time off from working on the book at times to clear my head and ease the strain on my eyes." The copy of the painting is about halfway done, "I have few other pieces to work on later, but for now, I think it would be best if I changed and then went with you to help end this threat from below so I can work in peace."
Stepping into an alcove area where she seems to have set up a partitioned room for herself, Vinianna comes out changed into something more suitable for journeying into the catacombs as well as her glaive, crossbow and bolts, waterskin, glasses, spell component pouch, and holy symbol, "There, I'm ready to go when you are."
Radavek follows Viniana and listens keenly while she talks about her work, but his eyes flit back and forth between the books and paintings and the woman herself.
"Wow! This painting is really nice."
When she disappears behind her screen, he wants to say something about her, but most of the others wouldn't appreciate it and Finn is dead. Torrosk's half human. I wonder if he likes human women. Hmm. maybe I don't want to stir that pot.
***
Radavek gathers his gear together near the entrance to the crypts and begins sorting through it. Probably crowded down there. I'll be lucky if I can swing my sword.
Ravin nods, "I hadn't really considered that even the magics that protect texts fades over time... perhaps because I'm used to knowledge being passed from person to person, across time and generations, instead."
He stands back and and lets the cleric gather her equipment, saying, "Glad to have you with us... the walking dead give me the chills."
Torrosk watches Viniana slip behind the screen, and a hint of a smile crosses his face. She should bring a bit of light to this group. I'll have to see that nothing dampens her passion. He chuckles lightly to himself with a slight shake of his head, Foolish idle thoughts
After defeating the undead invading the Cathedral and gaining a boon companion, the party is ready to venture forth into the crypt below.
The party is aware of two ways down... The large staircase in the southwestern part of the room and the spiral staircase below the firepit. The acolyte says that either way eventually gives entrance to the catecombs below.
Jonnie follows behind, content to support her new friends.
Radavek lights one of the torches. He looks back at the acolyte. "Which way did Juriendor go?"
The room you enter is dark except for the light you bring with you, however it appears that it is often well kept. Several oil lamps are ready to be lit around the room and the room is comfortable and well furnished. Looking more closely, the room is adorned with many religious objects depicting aspects of light, sun, and flame as primary influences. By appearances, it may be a private shrine or sanctuary for the priests of the Cathedral.
Radavek's gaze slides over the room's furnishings as he looks for doors.
Ravin follows, his keen eyes scanning for threats....
Torrosk follows into the room
Viniana follows her companions into the room, pushing her glasses up as she looks around.
The rest of the group joins Viniana exploring the room carefully. Jonhilda discovers a secret passageway in the northern wall, while Torrosk discovers one in the southern wall. Torrosk also finds a scroll with magical writings on it in used as a bookmark in a prayer book.