Vivian recognizes these undead creatures as ectoplasmic humans. Due to the ectoplasm that makes up their body, slashing weapons are the most effective mundane way to harm him. Furthermore, their slam attacks can make targets a bit fearful from the slime they leave behind. They also float above the ground and can pass through walls.
Bert hears the sounds and is confused as he holds the rope others are using.
"Uh, okay let me find a place to tie the rope." he says looking around.
Bert climbs down the rope.
Sophie drops down from the rope just as others start coming down it. With grace that one might not expect from an older lady, she lands carefully on her feet, makes herself and Vivian invisible to the undead, and draws her weapon.
Halfway down the rope, Bert's hands slip and he begins to fall to the ground.
Theodor climbs down the rope as fast as he can.
Sophie shakes her head and scoffs to Vivian. "Men! Always rushing in to save the day when everything is already well in-hand. They always bungle it up, too." She glances at the monsters, then back to Vivian. "Now remember dear, don't do anything against these creatures until you're ready for the spell to break. I have a thing or two to take care of first myself."
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Vivian nods to the old wise woman, smiling when she talks about men
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Teilaenthis manages to climb down the rope and land adjacent to the ectoplasmic foes.
Bert is not so lucky, landing on his back in the water with the wind nearly knocked out of him.
Tara waits up top, not wanting to risk a fall, while Vivian delays to avoid disrupting Sophie's spell.
With no space to move to the bottom and no enemy in sight from his position on the ground floor, Dr. Von Herzog waits for a better opportunity to get involved with the combat.
Since Sophie is invisible and Teilaenthis is adjacent to them, the ectoplasmic humans focus their attacks on the tiefling. Fortunately, neither slimy attack hits the Occultist.
Initiative (Round 2)
Stefan <= Up
Tara <= Up
Sophie <= Up
Vivian <= Up
Teilaenthis <= Up
Bert [3 Dmg; Prone] <= Up
2 Ectoplasmic Humans
Theodor <= Up
Bert stands up, steps out of the way so the rest can come down, and equips his shield and halberd.
Vivian moves near Teil and tries to hit the ectoplasm with her short sword
Suddenly visible to the ectoplasm, Sophie takes a step back, grumbling. She draws her longspear and thrusts it at the creature in front of her.
for
for
Standing on the edge looking down, Stefan sends two of his dancing lights down the passage, illuminating the chamber below.
"Ectoplasmic creatures! They are strange beings of the occult-- be wary of them!"
Stefan then casts a spell. Two blue-white bolts of magical energy fire from his hand into the ectoplasmic creature nearest Vivian.
Seeing the rope no longer in use and a small opening, Tara quickly scurries down the dangling object with ease, but stops just short of falling to the ground. "If they are undead, I can harm them!" Tara shouts out, as she strains to stay on the rope, not quite ready to fall into the combat below.
Teil takes the direct approach, charging up his earthbreaker magically and swinging away.
Bert stands up, moves out of the way of the others coming down, and equips his shield and weapon.
Vivian stabs one of the ectoplasmic humans with her short sword, but the slime surrounding it absorbs most of the damage. Indeed, it probably would not have taken any injury at all if not for the sneak attack.
Sophie discovers a similar problem with her longspear, but her critical blow makes its defense against her weapon moot as the oracle completely destroys her target.
Teilaenthis easily finishes off the remaining ectoplasmic human with his special earthbreaker.
While the others finish the fight, Tara climbs down the rope with no issues.
Those remaining on the first floor have no issues climbing down the rope now that the undead threat has been dispatched. A search of the room reveals nothing else of value, although the cavern floor outside of the water seems unusually dust free. There is only one passage leading out of the room that leads to the west.
Well, that went better than expected. Not that I don't enjoy it, of course. I'll scout our way.
The redhead summons some magical light on the tip of her sword, and courageously leads the way to the west
Sophie shouts up the whole. "Boy, you beat bring my rope down with you!"
--
She follows Vivian, Longspear held ready.
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Bert follows the others.
With the intrepid, yet now quiet redhead leading the way, the group moves to the next room. Four dark hallways exit from this large empty chamber, each striking out in one of the four directions of the compass, and each decorated with a soot-caked brass nameplate affixed to the ceiling just above the entrance. A rubble-choked stairway leads up in the middle of the room, while eight skeletons dressed in scorched prisoners’ robes lie on the ground.
As the group progresses into the room, the bones of the eight skeletons began to rattle to life, animating into undead creatures. It appears the group has a few seconds to react before they become dangerous.
Initiative (Surprise Round)
8 Skeletons
Sophie <= Up
Theodor <= Up
Teilaenthis <= Up
Bert [3 Dmg] <= Up
Vivian <= Up
Stefan <= Up
Tara <= Up
Bert moves to protect the group's right flank.
Teil moves quickly to engage a skelleton and try and shatter it before it can truly form.
Vivian will switch her short sword for her sling, and takes a few steps back
Stefan casts a spell and a ray of positive energy fires from his hand at the skeleton north of Bert.
Sophie takes in the skeletons, then looks at Stefan and Tara "Listen now, I can buy the three of us a few more seconds of safety. Shall I include you in my spell?"
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Theodor assaults the nearest undead with a furious charge.
"Thank-you, Ms. Kundegard, but I'll decline. I think we can easily return a few animated skeletons to the grave!"
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Both Teilaenthis and Theodor charge the closest skeletons to the south and destroy them before they can reform, although Theodor notices that his greatsword is not nearly as effective against bone.
Bert and Vivian make some strategic moves, while Dr. Von Herzog casts a damaging ray of positive energy that strikes the skeleton nearest to Bert.
Sophie casts another spell to make her imperceptible to undead, after offering to share it with Stefan and Tara.
Shaking her head negatively at Sophie's request, Tara pulls a light mace from her belt and advances up with Bert in order to ensure that he doesn't end up becoming outflanked. "Like the professor always said, it helps to have the correct tools for the job!" Pointing the weapon at the closest undead, Tara frowns heavily as she attempts to recall anything else interesting about these foes.
Taking a place next to Bert with her mace drawn, Tara examines the undead menace. Thus far, the skeletons appear to be like the others that Tara has seen in previous encounters: bludgeoning weapons are most effective against them, they are immune to cold, and have typical undead traits.
Now fully animated, the four skeletons to the north converge on Bert and Tara. The two closest attack Bert, but neither is able to harm him with its claws.
The two remaining skeletons to the south move to attack Teilaenthis, and one of them manages to find a weak spot in his armor, injuring him somewhat.
Strangely, those engaged in melee with the skeletons began to detect the faint smell of smoke.
Initiative (Round 2)
6 Skeletons
Sophie <= Up
Theodor <= Up
Teilaenthis [7 Dmg] <= Up
Bert [3 Dmg] <= Up
Vivian <= Up
Stefan <= Up
Tara <= Up
A stone flies, and bounce harmlessly somewhere..
Not knowing much about the undead, Bert swings his trusty halberd, following with a bash from his shield.