
GM Mawgrim |

As the party surges forward to meet with the skeletons, Vanea lifts her voice to sing words of encouragement to the group while Sheriff Hemlock withdraws his shield and waits impatiently for a space to open up in the melee.
Vanea uses 1 round of inspire courage, granting all attacks +1 to attack roll and damage for this round.
Initiative - Round 1
22 - Hemlock
21 - Shaedeen
17 - Skeletons
14 - Ratimir
13 - Haelvor
12 - Serolt
12 - Regin
3 - Vanea

Shaedeen Valzanar |

Shaedeen looks at the rapier in her left hand and the sap in her right before doing that cute/annoying thing where she opens her mouth but no words come out. Knowing that she's ill-prepared to battle fleshless undead foes yet not wanting to appear cowardly before Sheriff Hemlock, the rogue takes a 5-foot step to the north and readies a dicey action--to try to lethally bash any skeleton who steps into the space she just vacated with her sap.
sap (lethal, flanking): 1d20 + 4 - 4 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 4 - 4 + 2 = 9 for bludgeoning damage, sneak attack: 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (2) = 6

GM Mawgrim |

Sk1DMG: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Sk2ATK: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Sk2DMG: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Shaedeen steps back, away from the entrance to the crypt, and the skeleton follows her, unwittingly stepping in between Vanea and herself. The rogue swings the rubber-covered sap at the undead with no effect, missing the creature completely. The skeletons both continue their attacks against Shaedeen and Vanea, but both women deftly duck out of the way of the rusted and damaged scimitars held.
Shaedeen misses Skeleton 1. Skeleton 1 makes a 5-foot step and attacks Shaedeen, missing. Skeleton 2 misses Vanea.
Initiative - Round 1
22 - Hemlock
21 - Shaedeen
17 - Skeletons
14 - Ratimir
13 - Haelvor
12 - Serolt
12 - Regin
3 - Vanea
Ratimir, Haelvor, Serolt, and Vanea are now up, and now with Vanea's return from vacation (welcome back, btw! :)) I will no longer bot Vanea's actions. As always, actions will be resolved in posting order rather than initiative order.

Haelvor Thawne |

Haelvor draws the morningstar (sorry GM) and swings at the nearest skeleton.
Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 1 = 14
Damage, if that hits: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5
grr.

Serolt |

Round: 1, Initiative: 12
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Regular Arrows = 13/15
Cold Iron Arrows = 25/25
Conditions = Inspired
ranged: Attack: BAB +0, Dex +4 (rapid shot -2) Damage: +0
melee: Attack: BAB +0, Str +2 Damage: Str +2
Animal Focus (Su/Swift) (1/1m)
Spells (Caster Level 1, Concentration +3)
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Mending
First (13): (2/2) Cure Light Wounds, Entangle, Summon Nature’s Ally
Conditions = Inspired
Animal Focus: Bull (+2 Str - applied)
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +5, Size +1Damage: Str +2
Tricks: Attack x2, Come, Down, Flank, Heel, Sneak
Serolt 5’ steps back, and not knowing much about skeletons, shoots twice at skeleton one…poorly as he must contend with both cover and in combat negatives…
Bow: 1d20 + 2 - 6 ⇒ (5) + 2 - 6 = 1 (inspired, point blank, in melee, cover)
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 (inspired, point blank)
Bow: 1d20 + 2 - 6 ⇒ (20) + 2 - 6 = 16 (inspired, point blank, in melee, cover)
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 (inspired, point blank)
Bow (crit threat): 1d20 + 2 - 6 ⇒ (2) + 2 - 6 = -2 (inspired, point blank, in melee, cover)
damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (7, 8) + 4 = 19 (inspired, point blank)
(I presume I now learn about skeletons DR vs non bludgeoning weapons?)
He whistles, and commands Regin forward and around. (He does have double attack, so he will attack undead if commanded.) Regin moves past the sheriff, avoiding his spot and attacking skeleton one.
Regin Bite: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 1 = 19 (inspired) damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6 (inspired) Free Trip: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Vanea Lothmatis |

Vanea uncoils her whip, stepping back from the skeleton and its scimitar, aiming her weapon at the bony legs
Whip trip, inspire: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
I do prefer my partners to have more flesh on them... We don't call a Calistrian favorite pastime "carnal pleasures" for nothing!

GM Mawgrim |

Sk1DMG: 1d6 ⇒ 1
While Ratimir misses with the club in his hand, Haelvor's morningstar connects with the skeleton with full devastating force, caving its jaw in and causing it to topple in a collection of bones on the crypt floor. Serolt manages to connect with a lucky arrow, but succeeds only in knocking a couple of the other skeleton's ribs out of their connections, while Regin darts into the opening on the other side of the skeleton and grabs its leg bone in his teeth and tries to trip the skeleton to no avail.
As Vanea rears back to attack with her whip, the skeleton makes a desperate swipe with its blade. She dances once again out of the way and strikes with the whip, catching the skeleton on the leg bones and sending it sprawling to the floor.
Sheriff Hemlock continues to wait as he watches the adventurers, seemingly impress by the way they work together as a group.
[b]

GM Mawgrim |

Apologies - internet decided to have a full blown kinipshin as I was trying to edit the post. Here is the remainder of it all, which is really just the initiative order.
Initiative - Round 2
22 - Hemlock
21 - Shaedeen
17 - Skeletons
14 - Ratimir
13 - Haelvor
12 - Serolt
12 - Regin
3 - Vanea
In the interest of not kill-stealing from you all, Hemlock is now taking something of an appraising stance, unless things turn dire for you all.

Shaedeen Valzanar |

When Vanea switched to her whip, Shaedeen lost her flanking buddy. Now the girl opts to fight defensively, hoping for a miracle blow with her next-to-useless sap. If she can keep the skeleton occupied, though, she's confident someone or something else (Hi Regin!) can take down the fleshless undead.
sap (defensively, lethal): 1d20 + 4 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 - 4 - 4 = 4 for bludgeoning damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6
AC now 20, touch 17, flat-footed 13.

GM Mawgrim |

Shaedeen begins to dodge and weave, taking only a single opportunity to lash out in desperation with her sap, but is still unable to connect with the prone skeleton. The skeleton, mindless as it is, attempts to stand up...
...provoking an attack of opportunity from Regin, Ratimir, and Shaedeen. Unfortunately for Vanea, a whil does not threaten the areas it can attack into.

Serolt |

Regin makes an Attack of Opportunity on the skeleton.
Regin Bite: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 = 13 (inspired) damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6 (inspired)
...but he does so feebly.

Shaedeen Valzanar |
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Shae swings again at the bony undead.
sap (fighting defensively, lethal): 1d4 + 4 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 - 4 - 4 = -3 for bludgeoning damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Can't recall the last time I had a -3 total on an attack roll. ;)

Ratimir Ganic |

Ratimir seizes the oppurtunity to strike the skeleton as it rises, its guard completely open. He swings his club aiming for the head.
AoO - Club: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

GM Mawgrim |

Since its past the point where Shae can edit the dice properly, I will roll the substitution here.
Sub for Shae's d4: 1d20 + 4 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 - 4 - 4 = 10
As the skeleton attempts to rise, is it battered from all sides with Regin shattering a few of its finger bones in his powerful little jaws before its skull is caved in by the twin strikes from Ratimir and Shaedeen. The remainder of the bones clatter lifeless lay to the floor, whatever necromantic energy that was keeping it animated now dispersed. The wind whistles gently through the boneyard, but otherwise there is no sound other than that of the parties own breathing.

Shaedeen Valzanar |

Not wanting Sheriff hemlock to think that she does this sort of thing for a living, Shaedeen only makes a cursory inspection of the main sarcophagus for traps while entering the crypt. Then she suddenly freezes and turns to Serolt. "Do you want to check for any non-goblin tracks before I mess up the floor further?"
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Serolt |

Then she suddenly freezes and turns to Serolt. "Do you want to check for any non-goblin tracks before I mess up the floor further?"
Serolt lifts his head, "Oh, good idea Shaedeen, excellent."
Serolt examines the dust on the floor to see what has passed other than skeletons, in the last little while.
Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
He shares whatever he discovers with the party and sheriff.

GM Mawgrim |

Serolt looks over the tracks before Shaedeen can get too far into the crypt and muddle them up too badly. From what he can see, he can confirm that most footprints here are wide but short and shallow in the dirt, indicating something the size of goblins, while one set is certainly the size of a full-grown human adult. He can also identify that about six smaller creatures accompanied the single larger person, and that they appeared to come into the graveyard from over the town's northern wall before approaching and entering the vault.
Inside of the vault is slightly cramped, about twelve feet wide by fifteen feet deep. The central sarcophagus is more a table with ornate corners, likely used to put the body onto for the last preparations before being taken to its final resting place. A single dumbwaiter elevator in seemingly good repair large enough to hold two people standing, or a body lain flat on its floor, is at the back of the crypt, and it appears that the larger human as well as two goblins used this to go deeper into the vault.
Haelvor: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16
Ratimir: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Serolt: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Vanea: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Haelvor Thawne |

Haelvor nods to Ratimir, noticing the Varisian's gaze land in the same place. "There seems to be something here. A black robe, human sized."
He reaches out to pick up the garment.

Ratimir Ganic |

"Good eye, Haelvor," Ratimir nods back. "The question is, was it left here by the invaders, or buried with the former occupants of this crypt?" Only then it hits Ratimir that the skeletons they just destroyed likely belonged to the priests buried here.
Ratimir closes his eyes and presses the eyelids with the thumb and index finger of his right hand, whispering some arcane words. When he opens them up again, his irises and pupils have changed to a purple hue, emitting a faint glow. He stares intently at the robe in Haelvor's hands.
Casting detect magic

Shaedeen Valzanar |

Shaedeen hops nimbly on top of the preparation table and tiptoes deeper into the crypt, squatting down to get a closer view of the dumb waiter/elevator device. While Ratimir and Haelvor examine the robe they found, Shae examines the elevator for traps...and to get some idea of how to operate it.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

GM Mawgrim |

As Shaedeen examines the dumbwaiter device, it appears to be simple enough - ropes hanging from a pulley allow the rider or riders of the device to lower themselves to below the crypts. The device and the alcove both do not appear to be trapped.

Vanea Lothmatis |

Vanea uses a minor spell to detect arcane traces
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Know arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
This robe is magical. When you wear it, your appearence changes.
says the redhead in all seriousness
Bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Shaedeen Valzanar |

"Looks safe and simple enough to use," Shaedeen calls back over her shoulders to the others, "but will likely only hold two at a time. It'll probably be dark below, so Ratimir and his magic lights should head down first."
Eyeballing the Varisian she asks, "Who do you want as your bodyguard?"

Ratimir Ganic |

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Spellcraft): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Sense Motive): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Ratimir raises an eyebrow and keeps looking at the robe before turning to Vanea. "Does it? I can't really tell, but if you say so..."
He listens to Shae's plans and nods in agreement. "Sure, I can go, but I think I'll send my fireflies down first. Then we can decide on bodyguards." Ratimir bends over the pit and sends the animated lights flying all the way to the bottom, looking for any other signs of danger.
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Serolt |

Serolt will try his hand at identifying the outerwear.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 vs DC 21
"Well, while Vanea is right, it does change your appearance, it also lets you summon skeletons. Not a pleasant thing at all." he hands the robe to the sheriff. "We're not grave robbers, see to it this makes it to its rightful owners."
As the party discusses who goes when, he suggests, "May Regin and I go second? I'm ready."
He casts Light on the tip of his bow and waits his turn.

Haelvor Thawne |

Know/Arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Haelvor frowns. He should have recognised this robe, surely, from that book in ... no, it's gone.
Dammit!
"Let me know where you want me," he says to the others. "I'm still new at this."
@GM, minor thing but Haelvor gets +5 (i.e. +10 modifier) on elven related Knowledge checks. Since I don't know in advance whether they are indeed related ... I'm guessing not here but minor/gentle reminder for the future, if it ever applies.

GM Mawgrim |

Sheriff Hemlock sheathes his sword and peers in at the group already investigating the crypt. He takes the black robes from Serolt and nods, balling them up. "I will take these to Father Zantus, but if it summons skeletons I can't see any of the clergy using such an item, let alone owning one willingly. I will stay up here and help lower you down into the vault below," he offers, getting ready to use the dumbwaiter to lower the adventurers into the cavern below.
Ratimir sends his floating lights down into the dumbwaiter's tunnel, but cannot see any signs of danger.
@Haelvor - cheers for the heads up on that ability. I'll try and keep it in mind for when anything elven crops up throughout the adventure :) would you prefer I tell you to add the +5 to the check, or add it in myself and let you know that it applied?

Shaedeen Valzanar |

With great effort, Shaedeen overcomes her natural fear of law enforcement long enough to approach Sheriff Hemlock and ask the man if he has a bludgeoning weapon he might lend her, in the event that there may be more skeletons in the lower chamber.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Finally (meaning after waiting half a minute or so), Shae's patience with Ratimir runs out. "So--are you going to pick me to be your bodyguard? If not I'll just wait and go last with Haelvor."

Ratimir Ganic |

Ratimir smiles at Shae's impatience. "But of course, girl! I can think of no one else I would trust my dear life with!", he proclaims. "Word of warning, though: watching is a hassle more often than not, but I think you're no stranger to that," he says with a wink.
Ratimir steps into the elevator, waits for Shaedeen to hop in, and starts turning the lever to lower himself to the bottom of the pit. He pulls one of the lights close to him, and it hovers close to his head to illuminate his immediate vicinity.

Shaedeen Valzanar |

Shaedeen sheathes her rapier, returns her purloined sap to her belt, and loads and readies her crossbow; any bludgeoning weapon lent her by the sheriff is shuffled off to Ratimir to hold "Just for a minute."
The young rogue then hops down softly from the table onto the elevator platform and nods for Sheriff Hemlock to start the descent.

Serolt |

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Serolt isn't sure, but he thinks Haelvor is annoyed about something. He wonders if he should speak, but decides to remain silent for now.
That one is deep.
As the dumb waiter descends, he stands at the edge of the hole ready to shoot anything that might come from a side passage.
He waits his turn, refreshing the light on his bow just before descending.

Haelvor Thawne |


GM Mawgrim |

With Sheriff Hemlock controlling the dumbwaiter from the top level, Ratimir and Shaedeen descend into the depths below the vault.
No undead creatures rise up out of the darkness to meet with them, and the only cold they feel is the natural cold from being underground.
After a few moments of silence in the cold crypt, a conversation from above can be heard, though it is far away and metallic as if being heard through metal tubes.
You can hear the words being said in the open text, but obviously cannot see any of the actions being taken.
Once Ratimir and Shaedeen have exited the dumbwaiter, Hemlock begins to pull the sturdy rope that brings the dumbwaiter back to the crypt level, locking it in place with a click. Sweat already beginning to dot his brow, he turns to the remaining adventurers. "Haelvor, why don't you and miss..uh..the lady here head down next," the sheriff offers. "The more people down there quickly, the better in case something else happens. You know, it occurs to me that I don't even know your names," he says, looking at Serolt and Vanea.

Haelvor Thawne |
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Ah.
Noticing, but then deliberately ignoring, the strangely probing look from Serolt ...
Ah. I must - must! - try harder to hide my disappointment. The Gods know, I should have had enough practice by now. Gah!
... Haelvor clambers awkwardly into the contraption, and tries to look straight ahead, in a self-consciously, unsuccessfully nonchalant way, at nothing in particular so as not to catch Vanea's eye.
Please let it not stall. Please please please let it not stall.

GM Mawgrim |

Twice more the sheriff helps to lower people into the cavern below, once with Haelvor and Vanea and the second with Serolt and Regin.
The cavern that everyone has entered is a large hallway some fifteen feet wide and thirty feet from the dumbwaiter elevator to its end, with arched supports to keep the stonework roof above from falling in. Alcoves line both walls, and the nearest four alcoves each hold a sarcophagus within it. A placard affixed to a slender stone pillar in front of each sarcophagus details the name of each former high priest and the year they died.
The oldest sarcophagus, closest to the dumbwaiter, dates back to several years after the founding of Sandpoint some fourty-six in 4666 AR, and each gets progressively more recent until the last sarcophagus, its placard reading 'Ezakien Tobyn, 4707 AR'.
Unlike the first three sarcophagi, the seal on the sarcophagus of the late Father Tobyn has been broken and its lid lifted and discarded unceremoniously against the alcove wall. The inside of the sarcophagus is empty, save for a few scraps of burial shroud.

Haelvor Thawne |

+5 to the following if it's elf-related :-)
Haelvor tries hard to remember whether he's seen any reference to Father Tobyn in the libraries of either Sandpoint or Magnimar.
Know/History: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Know/Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Any skill check to ascertain how long since the tomb was raided?

GM Mawgrim |

Father Tobyn was the High Priest of Sandpoint's previous cathedral until 4702, where he perished along with his adoptive daughter Nualia and several other citizens who were unfortunate enough to have gotten caught in the fire that fateful night.
Perception and Survival will be useful to figure out when the tomb was raided - anyone can either make one or the other check for themselves, or can Aid Another's check by making a DC 10 Perception check.

Haelvor Thawne |

Haelvor purses his lips and sighs.
"Hmm. I'm not sure whether this is relevant, but I do know Tobyn's name. He was the High Priest who died the in conflagration that consumed the previous cathedral here. He, his daughter Nualia, a number of other citizens - all died in the fire. He was, by reputation, very much a priest of Desna, above all the other gods. Zantus, meanwhile, is far more willing to accept the pantheon."
"I wonder if it's possible to see when the tomb was violated. Perhaps someone more skilled than I am ...?"
Perception, aid other: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Shaedeen Valzanar |

I think Serolt may be our 'Eagle Eyes,' so Shaedeen will use Aid Another as well.
Perception (Aid Another): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Shaedeen helps Haelvor and Serolt (presumably) in seeking clues to the desecration.
"I see some more goblin-sized prints in the dust here, so I'm going to hazard a guess that the break-in and theft occurred yesterday while the goblins raided the town. The bigger question is...Why?"

Serolt |

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Serolt peers at the recently opened gravesite and shudders. "Do you think that's who we met upstairs?" he gestures to the open coffin.
Survival, tracking: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
He tries to see if there are skeletal tracks leading from the tomb elsewhere.