"If the skeletons are doing the bidding of the cultists, they may lead us to our primary quarry. I suppose my vote is to search the ruins with all possible stealth until we spot one of these possible patrolling skeleton squads, then follow behind. If we cannot avoid combat with them, then at least there will be a few less abominations in the world. As for the Demon Wolves, I expect we will come across them soon enough."
"I like this plan. Upon thinking about it more, I think we would be better served to avoid trying to draw both sides into conflict. That would only raise the alarm for everyone, which might make it harder for us." Gregor pauses for a moment, drinking from a bottle. "Then again, the dead don't need to sleep or take off their armor, so they might be ready for us no matter what."
"As for the horses, I know of no magic which can prevent a horse from screaming when it becomes nervous." Gregor looks at the animals, scratching his own summoned horse on the withers. "I would prefer to keep them as far away from us as possible."
Sophie, ever so helpfully, has no opinion.
I could shroud us in silence, but that would do nothing for the scent, and might cause us more trouble than help.
"I suppose it would take us too long to eliminate all of the patrols. It would also raise suspicions when patrols stopped reporting."
"I suppose it would take us too long to eliminate all of the patrols. It would also raise suspicions when patrols stopped reporting."
"Agreed. And it would mean we couldn't follow them back to their groups." Niculaie thinks for a moment before continuing. "I also agree with Doro that we should bring the horses with us, to prevent our adversaries from slowing us down by stealing or killing our mounts, but I think traveling around the outskirts of the town would defeat our purpose in coming here. Let's attempt stealth, maybe leading the horses instead of riding. If fate is kind, we will find our quarries before they discover we have entered the town, but if they find us first, well - " he shrugs, "- at least we will be ready for them."
"Very well. With the horses and into the heart of town." Gregor grabs his barbarian chew, staining his teeth a deep red. He leads his summoned horse along with the others.
Vivian confers with Pontia over the probable paths of the patrols squad, test the winds with an handful of leaves.
I suppose we could start with the northen building. it gives a view over the small road who goes inside the village. Then we can explore the first buildings of the village itself: we'll still have the road near if we have to flee on horseback
Doro nods at Vivian's choice.
Sophie nods at Vivian, sucking her teeth.
Sophie mentally runs through her known spells before concluding that none of them will last long enough to be useful at this time.
"Since we're riding, let's take a long loop north, and keep the house between us and the rest of the town."
Jump in the saddle and lets go.
Sophie warily mounts up, pulling out her longspear. "We better not get into a fight on these creatures. " she says. "And if we do, you best let me get off before you run wild. " she mutters to the horse
Niculaie nods. "Best to conserve our resources and use the concealment these ruins provide."
He checks his bow and his lyre to make sure they are both secured on his back, then takes the reins of his horse in hand to lead it, rather than risk being stuck on the back of a panicking mount. "Let's begin."
Once the entire party is ready, he follows towards the back of the group.
Doro mounts Kal-Zi and patted his shoulder, saying Lets go. I can ride in the fore, if Miss Vivian prefers not to. he guided the horse forward and began to head towards the house they have chosen to check out first, wary and watching around.
This decrepit hovel lies on the edge of town, near the town’s overgrown graveyard.
Pontia hangs back and casts a cantrip, looking for magical auras.
Doro dismounts, and ties the reigns around Kal-Zi's legs thus keeping the horse from running away and he moves along the side of the building, keeping a warry eye out.
Sophie dismounts and positions herself behind Doro, longspear at the ready.
Vivian takes the lead, trying to get closer without being noticed while wary for an ambush
Nothing jumps out at you outside, and Vivian manages to quietly get to the front door. Peaking in, though, she sees a number of skeletons standing at attention. A few of them are rather bloody.
Vivian tries to get a quick peek at the foes to identify them, and comes back to the crew, sharing whatever information she can remember about this kind of undead while swtiching weapons, readying her morningstar
Seeing Vivian's signals and hearing the information she shares, Sophie casts heroism and divine favor on herself, casts protection from evil, communal and weapons against evil on the party, and summons her ancestral lucerne hammer.
Sophie shifts the grip on her hammer in anticipation of destroying more monsters. "Should we all go in from the same entrance, or split up?" She asks
Niculaie ties his horse to a nearby tree and moves a bit closer, drawing his bow. “What do we think? We could easily move on past, but that leaves enemies behind us. Could we draw them out through a single door and pick them off as they come?”
Pontia does not detect any magical auras.
Vivian sees 8 bloody skeletons, and 4 that look decked out in armor. These latter ones have blue light that shines in their eye sockets.
"Drawing them out works for me. Any way that we can keep them from using our smaller numbers against us seems right to me." Sophie says to Niculaie.
"Sophie, could you get around to the far side of the house? We shouldn't let any of them get away."
Array yourselves around the doorway. I will bait them out.
Gregor watches as the others prepare their spells. When the time draws nearer still, he will use his wand to cast Shield on himself, as before.
"If Vivian goes with Sophie, the two of them will have an easier time blocking any extra exits."
Gregor is ready to fight, standing behind Doro as usual.
Shall we go, or not? Your choice, Sophie.
Pontia draws a wand.
Doro stands just outside the doorway and bangs his shield once and says Alright Uglies. Lets tussle
readies attack
Sophie nods at Gregor's suggestion.
She answers Vivian "Yes, come with me child."
As her surprise round action, Sophie casts heroism on Vivian. "Here you go, child."
The armored skeletons move first, and as dark green steps up to the door, Doro smacks it good with his magical heavy mace.
Still standing, it strikes back, clanging sword off of Doro's raised shield.
On the other side of the house, Grey and white make for the back door to try to kill Vivian.
Neither is very effective from the doorway, however.
"Arnisant was a warrior
From the Empire of the Setting Sun
A champion of Aroden
The Last Azlanti's will be done"
Niculaie begins a bardic performance to inspire his companions. It may not be loud enough for Sophie and Vivian to hear on the other side of the house.
Pontia casts a quick cantrip, calling up positive energy to strike at the skeleton in the doorway facing Doro. Her spell comes nowhere near its target, barely missing Nic.
Doro settles into a combat form, bringing the heavy mace back across from the right to left in a downward motion after hed hit the skelton the first time. and then a sweeping attack straight across from left to right.
Sophie casts a spell, summoning a spiritual nodachi of force, which strikes at the skeleton facing Vivian.
for
Vivian swiftly counter attack, using her morningstar on the undead
Always use the right tool for the job at hand, my dear mom would say. But magic can add an useful edge to a blunt weapon too.
Sophie and Vivian take care of the first skeleton out the back with a one-two punch. Doro also completes his task by destroying the one he already hit.
Red moves in and swings at Vivian. Well, if you can call it that.
Green and Orange both move past her out the door. Both draw AoO from Vivian.
Yellow, purple, and cyan all move in on Doro.
Gregor feels his blood boil, red spittle dripping from his mouth. He attempts to trip the skeleton directly in front of Doro.
He then switches his attention to the skeleton left of that one.
Niculaie continues to sing his inspiring lament, and fires a blunt-tipped arrow past Doro, through the door, at the pink skeleton.
for
for
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