Kandor creeps ever deeper into the darkened reaches of the cavern. An imposing skeleton in ornate, Tien style chainmail and kabuto sits motionless atop a large jade and cherry wood chest in the middle of this chamber. He wields an impressive but old wakazashi of incredibly beautiful design. The skeleton does not move...
"He will probably rise just like those," Samiya nods at the shattered bones. "When we come near him."
"This one also has better kit than the others."
"A failed invasion? Why all the armor and steel if they didn't mean to take something be force."
Lugert spins the morningstar, still getting used to its balance.
"I don't trust this one bit. We need to just destroy that skeleton and be done with it. Don't touch anything until that thing is in pieces."
Kandor notices no traps.
"Alright, be ready to back me up here."
Lugert cautiously approaches the new possible threat, his eyes narrowing in on the skeleton and readying himself for it to come to life.
As Lugert approaches the skeleton, it struggles to its feet with an other-wordly sigh and brandishes its blade menacingly!
As steps closer, the skeleton raises the beautiful wakizashi to its face, its free hand extended back behind it in an elegant posture. ”侵入者！ウィスパリングストライクの曲を聴きます” it hisses in anger. Its gaze locks onto Lugert in hatred.
Faster than anyone might expect capable of a skeleton, it lashes it with blade and claw. But Lugert is quick as well, and narrowly avoids losing an ear to the razor-sharp blade.
_________________________
Avg = 14.25
miss
miss
"Ha!"
Lugert barely wills his body to move but the vicious attack from the skeleton finds no flesh. Lugert plants his rear foot back and with the skeleton now opening it's side to him he drops his weight and brings the morningstar flying upward with a calculated swing.
|
Kandor grumbles "I knew it. Should have thrown some rocks at it."
"Plergk! stay there! this one is far more dangerous than the last ones"
A subtle shimmering of light spreads around the cavern, giving everyone touched additional confidence.
He moves towards the skeleton, grabbing the piece of wood to help destroy the skeleton.
"Gôlgast, help us surround this this thing."
Samiya comes closer and begins filling everyone with courage to overcome the enemy.
Gôlgast runs up to get in front of Lugert.
Light mace at the ready.
Lugert’s morningstar bounces harmlessly off the skeleton’s ornate armor. In the meantime, Golgast squeezes in beside the wall, prepared to bring his own brand of combat to the fray. Around them, Kandor’s and Samiya’s magic begin to spread throughout the room. Plergk inches closer but, seeing no easy way to reach the skeleton, merely draws another flask of holy water to be ready.
The skeleton’s claw grabs for Lugert’s throat and he easily blocks it, but this was merely a sophisticated distraction. The Tien blade whistles through the darkness, and Lugert’s blood spatters onto the cold, wet stones below. The skeleton makes no move to flee, or even to consider his other foes. His eye sockets remain locked on the ranger...
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hit
miss
Gôlgast steps up diagonally behind the skeleton to flank it.
He then goes into mystic focus and uses Spell Combat to attack the skeleton twice.
His first attack is a Shocking Grasp spell:
The second attack is with his mace:
Samiya weaves a spell to distract the skeleton and help her friends.
Lugert wince and coughs up blood as the blade digs deep into his body.
"Ugghhh."
He blinks a few times as if to remember where he is and takes another wild swing at the undead warrior.
Golgast side-steps the skeleton, which doesn’t even seem to notice it. With one hand he strikes the skeleton hard with his mace, but in the dim light he can’t quite make out his foe . With the other he summons a minor ball of lightning that flashes and crackles, igniting the chamber and sending eerie shadows flickering across the walls. He thrusts his fist into the skeleton’s back . The electricity locks onto its armor and weapon and envelops it, causing it to jolt and smoke. This skeleton is tougher than the others, however, and continues on, oblivious to whatever pain it endures.
Kandor takes the opportunity to tap Lugert with the healing wand. Instantly, many of his wounds stitch themselves together. Samiya tries to capture the skeleton’s attention, but is unable to lock onto its psyche.
Lugert takes advantage of the distraction as well, stepping into flanking position with Golgast and hammering the skeleton in the skull . Although chips of bone go flying, the skeleton still stands! Plergk leaps forward, growling as he launches his holy water. The skeleton deflects the flask with its blade and sends it flying to the east where it crashes upon the rocks. Golgast and Lugert are splashed harmlessly, but the splash of the blessed water burns the skeleton like acid!
The skeleton retreats from Golgast’s electricity, stepping beside Lugert with its back to the small lake. Once more it strikes with its claw and wakizashi, but it has weathered a brutal assault, its actions are sluggish, and Lugert is able to parry the attacks.
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miss
miss
miss
Lugert bats the skeleton's weapon strike away from him and grabs its arm to hold back the clawed strike. As it takes its step away from the flanking members of his group he attempts to bring the morningstar straight down its skull.
Gôlgast steps up diagonally to try hitting this tough skeleton again:
Continuing his mystic focus he again uses Spell Combat to attack the skeleton twice.
His first attack is a Shocking Grasp spell:
The second attack is with his mace:
With her magic not working, Samiya relies on her crossbow, firing a bolt into the skeleton.
Lugert delivers a crushing blow to the skeleton’s skull at about the same time that Golgast knocks its right arm off, sending bones clattering to the ground. Seeing the creature lurch for Lugert with its fading strength, Golgast delivers another ball of lightning into its chest cavity. The red glow within its eye sockets begins to fade as it issues its final words:
”私は、六郎申し訳ありません。私が辱めています。”
Suddenly the creature explodes! Bones rattle off the walls and splash into the murky lake, while the ornate wakizashi falls harmlessly to the floor.
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Searching the skeleton, you find broken masterwork chainmail, the beautifully crafted wakizashi, and a bronze key on a necklace.
The sword is etched with images of seven shrikes perched on a coiling branch that runs the length of the blade.
Unlocking the chest (which holds no traps), it’s obvious that many objects (mostly fireworks and potions) have been removed from numerous slots in its velvet-lined interior--likely the work of the Licktoads. However, the chest still holds two potions of cure moderate wounds, three potion of lesser restoration, a ring of climbing, and a wand of identify with 19 charges. In addition, there’s a masterwork chain shirt, a masterwork cold iron wakizashi, 11 Desnan candle fireworks, and four skyrocket fireworks. There are also a large collection of assorted coins totalling 803 gold pieces, and varioius pieces of fine jewelry.
"That one was tougher than the first group of skeletons we meet!"
"I'm sure this pile of bling will fetch us lots of dosh!"
"Isn't there one side chamber we haven't looked at yet?"
"And there's that spider that Plergk fancies for breakfast before we leave."
"Yes, he must've been their leader, judging by this sword. It's magical, you can shield someone touched by it."
"Hm, what's this?.." Samiya notices a hidden compartment. "There's a letter in here. From or to Brinewall, it seems."
"We can sell these jewels for about four hundred and fifty gold I think."
Lugert watches as the deep gash in his body heals from the magic in Kandor's wand.
"Uungh. Thank you Kandor. That was a horrible blow."
Lugert moves up to the displaced skeleton's body. He kneels down, looking over the remains.
"Who ever this was, he was a fighter of great skill. Fitting that his soul be put to rest with one last battle. What say you cleric? Is that wisdom or just fancy talk?"
"I think we're all set. Can you continue to lead the way, Kandor."
Lugert keeps the Morningstar out. He winces from the pressure building in his head from the thorns' sickness.
Kandor backtrails through the damp cavern, the ashes and broken bones along the way reminding everyone of the humans who once lived, and died, in this cave. Traveling up an as-yet-unexplored tunnel, Kandor finds himself in a tight cavern containing a small pool of dark water. Against the far wall he sees a number of glittering cyrstals protruding from the cave wall.
Samiya winces slightly, and takes a closer look at the crystals. Can they be the cause of this sudden headache?
She also checks if there are any magic in here.
The rock crystals appear quite mundane and do not generate any magical auras. Indeed, they look very ordinary, and Kandor estimates their worth to be trivial--around 20gp.
Gôlgast walks into the small cave when Kandor asks Samiya if she's okay.
He walks into the room, rapier drawn.
Seeing no immediate threat, he will pull out a copper from his belt pouch and cast a Light cantrip on it.
He will then toss the lit copper coin into the water to see if it lights anything up in there.
The copper coin begins to sink to the bottom of the pool. But even before it hits the bottom, there is a sudden surge of water as something substantial moves beneath the surface, somehow interacting with the coin and causing it to bob through the water. Strangely, you can't actually make out whatever's causing this--you only observe the consequences of its activity.
"Is my mind playing tricks on me? I thought...something was just there."
"Just a slight headache." Samiya shakes her head. "Nothing serious."
"But it did began when we approached this cave."
She carefully inspects the pool.
"That's interesting!"
"There is an amoeba in the pool. I think it won't attack us if we stay away from it."
"Just as well none of us tried to get at those crystals!"
Gôlgast follows Kandor to the spider's lair.