Harrigan barrels in, cutting to the side in order to go around the barrier. With all of the random junk scattered across the floor he can't really get there before they will have those bows up and it is obvious. Instead he grabs a clay vial from a belt strap and lobs it behind the barrier.
Andolphas holds the lantern high in his shield hand. "Skeletons," he mutters. "Those poor souls should have passed on long ago. I suspect we may face worse deeper in the tower, so I'll refrain from channeling the Lady's powers for now... I only have the strength to do it so many times in one day." The priest then grumbles about how ineffective his spear and dagger are likely to be against the skeletons.
Harrigan moves forward over the rubble-strewn floor, heading to move around the left hand side of the barricade whilst tossing a jar filled with alchemical goo at the skeleton slightly further away on the right … however, he misjudges the throw … and the clay jar hits the skeleton on the left instead, smashing apart on the yellowed bones and spraying the undead with rapidly hardening goo.
Andolphas holds his lantern high and ushers Boland and Brashen inside.
Boland is strangely calm at the talk of skeletons, though he does hold to allow Brashen entry before him. He quickly says the words of a protection spell, touching his head, left arm and chest. He then follows the big man into the room, mirroring his steps.
Both the skeletons bring up their crossbows and fire. The one on the left targets Harrigan, but the gunk has slowed its movements and fouled the crossbow, and the arrow misfires. The skeleton on the right fires at Brashen as he pushes through the doorway, the arrow flies with surprising accuracy and hits the warrior squarely in the chest. His chainmail holds but the links are driven painfully into his flesh by the impact, drawing blood.
The skeleton with the sword moves to stand just behind the one at the left side of the barricade.
Harrigan grips his morningstar and wades through the rubble, broken chairs, and random bit of rusted metal to get within cracking distance.
Harrigan moves to within a few feet of the skeleton at the left side of the barricade.
Brash grunts at the impact of the hit, and lets out a low growl, willing the pain away. He strides around the baracade to the nearest skeleton.
Brash grunts at the impact of the hit, and lets out a low growl, willing the pain away. He strides around the baracade to the nearest skeleton.
Seeing Brashen and Harrigan close with the two crossbow wielding skeletons, Boland struggles through the cluttered room towards the third, sword wielding skeleton. Drawing near to the barricade he stops and points his finger at the creature, hoping he has a little more success this time around in hitting it.
Andolphas puts his lantern on the ground, then grumbles about how a priest of the Dark-Eyed Lady should have been prepared for an encounter such as this. He reverses his grip on his spear , holding it in one hand a little above the point, with tip pointing towards the ground. The cleric advances to Boland's side , holding his shield up so as to try to deflect blows that might be aimed at either him or the young wizard. He holds his spear-turned-club, ready to make an awkward strike if Boland's magic should be insufficient to shatter his skeletal target...
Brash grunts at the impact of the hit, and lets out a low growl, willing the pain away. He strides around the baracade to the nearest skeleton.
woops, sorry
Boland and Andolphas move forward, side by side, the cleric awkwardly holding his spear like a club. Boland raises his finger and casts his cantrip, but as he does he stumbles slightly on an old chair leg lying on the ground, and the ray flies wide, missing all the skeletons.
The two crossbow wielding skeletons (having loaded their weapons after their last shot) again take aim and fire at Harrigan and Boland. The skeleton standing next to Harrigan has its crossbow hopelessly fouled by the gunk in the tanglefoot bottle, and the weapon is never going to fire, but the charade of the attack gives Harrigan an opportunity to strike at his foe
The other skeleton fires at Brashen, but this time the warrior is able to catch the bolt in his raised shield, where it sticks, quivering slightly.
The third skeleton steps through the junk to stand beside the barricade and its goo covered comrade to attack Harrigan with its rusty sword, but the dwarf easily dodges aside from the clumsy blow.
Brashen moves forward and swings his flail at the skeleton on the right hand side of the barricade, staving in half of its skull, but it keeps standing.
Over eager, Harrigan takes his first swing before he is in range, but with another step quickly reverses it and makes a backswing.
Harrigan misses the crossbow wielding skeleton, but his morning star smashes apart the sword wielding skeleton on the backswing, and it collapses to the floor, the cohesive force connecting its yellowed bones destroyed.
Harrigan misses the crossbow wielding skeleton, but his morning star smashes apart the sword wielding skeleton on the backswing, and it collapses to the floor, the cohesive force connecting its yellowed bones destroyed.
Boland shakes his head as the second ray fired that day shoots well wide of the mark. Not wanting to waste a more powerful spell on the lone skeleton still standing, he tightens his grip on his quarterstaff and advances, heart thundering in his chest.
Andolphas moves forward to protect the mage, holding his shield in front of both of them, then lifting it as he makes an awkward swing at the skeleton with the blunt end of his spear.
Andolphas and Boland both attack the skeleton entangled by the alchemical goo – and both miss.
The two remaining skeletons, working in synchrony mechanically drop their crossbows and pick up and ready rusted swords and dented shields from behind the barricade.
Brash attacks again, swinging his flail down hard at the skeleton.
Brash attacks again, swinging his flail at the skeleton with all his strength behind the blow.
Harrigan catches the skeleton with a glancing blow on one arm, but his morningstar skips off the bone barely scuffing it. The dwarf growls to Brashen, "I've had about enough of this damn sack of bones."
Brashen’s flail smashes the ribcage of the skeleton he faces, knocking it to the ground where it lies unmoving. Harrigan’s attack on the last remaining animated skeleton is less successful.
Andolphas takes another awkward swing with the butt end of his spear at the skeleton that stands before him and Boland.
Andolphas takes another awkward swing with the butt end of his spear at the skeleton that stands before him and Boland.
Boland joins in, swinging his quarterstaff two handed at the skeleton, trying his hardest to connect with it's skull.
Andolphas’ strike manages to knock out several ribs and break an arm bone, but does not take the skeleton down. Boland, on the other hand, simply misses – as does the skeleton when it strikes back at Harrigan.
Brash grins as his skeleton crumples to the floor. He strides over to the remaining enemy, again swinging a mighty blow at the skeletons back.
Brashen smashes the last remaining skeleton apart, bones rain down to the floor.
Brashen smashes the last remaining skeleton apart, bones rain down to the floor.
Boland feels a mixture of relief and disappointment as the combat ends; relief that the immediate danger has passed by disappointed that he was unable to contribute more meaningfully to the destruction of the skeletons. As the combat adrenalin eases, his emotions turn to anger.
"We need to find the individual responsible for animating these bones and crush him," he says to the others in a tone far more aggressive than they have ever heard from him.
He looks down at the three pile of bones marking the spots where the skeletons fell and, in a voice returning to more usual levels he adds "I don't suppose these could be the remains of the Land family? can you think of anyway to tell Andolphas?"
"We need to find the individual responsible for animating these bones and crush him," he says to the others in a tone far more aggressive than they have ever heard from him.
He looks down at the three pile of bones marking the spots where the skeletons fell and, in a voice returning to more usual levels he adds "I don't suppose these could be the remains of the Land family? can you think of anyway to tell Andolphas?"
"I couldn't agree with you more," says Andolphas icily to the mage. "Whoever is responsible for this hubris shall certainly attract the wrath of the Dark-Eyed Lady." He kneels down and takes a closer look at the bones.
Andolphas takes a few minutes reassembling the scattered bones into skeletons on the floor, then examining them. The skeletons appear to belong to a middle aged human male, a middle aged human female, and a younger human female. The state of the bones indicate that the women died about twenty years ago, the man probably about ten years before that. The bones of the two females bear some odd spurs around the knee and elbow joints – a sign that these women probably died of the Red Death.
Andolphas recalls that the dates of the graves at the Land farm indicated that Alastor’s mother and siblings died about twenty years ago, his father some years before that. He further recalls that the mother and siblings’ headstones were marked with the symbol of a four petaled flower, indicating that they died of the Red Death.
"What are the odds?" wonders Andolphas aloud as he inspects the bones. "It is quite likely that these actually are the bones of the Land family. Part of our mission here is accomplished... I shall collect these on our way out, for proper burial. In the meantime, I would like to see the one responsible for disturbing the dead pay the price for his unholy transgression... Let's hope we can take him down..."
There is one apparent exit from this large room, the door that the skeletons seemed to be guarding.
Harrigan stops and leans back against a wall, morningstar over one shoulder, while the priest arranges the bones. The dwarf pulls the black scarf covering half of his face down revealing a shortly trimmed beard (for a dwarf) partly broken by a scar running along his jawline though it is mostly obscured by the beard.
"You knew them when they were alive? Members of your congregation or something?"
Yes, I sort of forgot about it as Harrigan took a while to come together, but he should get such a feat.
Brash stoops to pick up his battle axe, but keeps his flail and shield at hand.
'No, didnt know them, but for some reason took it upon ourselves to find and bury them.'
Brash casts Andolphas a sour look as he says this, then grunts as he removes the crossbow bolt sticking out of his chest, wiping away some blood on a rag pulled from his pocket.
He absently touchs another cut on his choulder that hasn't yet healed. 'Well, we going to keep going? You seem to be good with doors Harrigan, perhaps you should make sure it isn't trapped.'
"What are the odds?" wonders Andolphas aloud as he inspects the bones. "It is quite likely that these actually are the bones of the Land family. Part of our mission here is accomplished... I shall collect these on our way out, for proper burial. In the meantime, I would like to see the one responsible for disturbing the dead pay the price for his unholy transgression... Let's hope we can take him down..."
"Excellent" Boland whispers, clearly excited by the news. His smile turns to a frown though when he realises there is still one body unaccounted for. He moves over to the door leading from the room, and awaits Harrigan's search of the door.
Harrigan nods once the priest is done with the bones and slips his morningstar back through the loop on his belt. He sizes up the door and gets down to business...
Harrigan listens at the door but hears nothing. The simple wooden door does not seem to be trapped, nor locked.
In a low voice Harrigan says, "All clear here." He draws his weapon again and opens the door.
The revolting stench of rotting flesh roils from the open door. In the room beyond, ten chairs surround an oblong dining table situated parallel to the door. Along the north wall, a wide staircase leads to an upper floor. A wooden door below the stairs presumably leads to some slim understair chamber. Two doors line the south wall. A sagging antique shelf dominates the west wall, looking like it might collapse at any moment.
Three tall candles on the dining table illuminate a scene of horror. With the exception of the place at the western end, each of the chairs surrounding the table holds an awkwardly seated humanoid figure. The nine bodies are in various stages of decomposition. Some sit with splendid posture, paused as if midway through a sumptuous feast. Others slump treacherously close to falling from their seats.
Heaped plates of food (looking none to fresh) sit before each of the diners, but the empty place setting features a clean plate and set of utensils. Several bottles of red wine rest upon the table, and each of the corpses sits before a half-full glass. A fly passes nearby, its there-not-there buzz breaking the eerie silence.
The revolting stench of rotting flesh roils from the open door. In the room beyond, ten chairs surround an oblong dining table situated parallel to the door. Along the north wall, a wide staircase leads to an upper floor. A wooden door below the stairs presumably leads to some slim understair chamber. Two doors line the south wall. A sagging antique shelf dominates the west wall, looking like it might collapse at any moment.
Three tall candles on the dining table illuminate a scene of horror. With the exception of the place at the western end, each of the chairs surrounding the table holds an awkwardly seated humanoid figure. The nine bodies are in various stages of decomposition. Some sit with splendid posture, paused as if midway through a sumptuous feast. Others slump treacherously close to falling from their seats.
Heaped plates of food (looking none to fresh) sit before each of the diners, but the empty place setting features a clean plate and set of utensils. Several bottles of red wine rest upon the table, and each of the corpses sits before a half-full glass. A fly passes nearby, its there-not-there buzz breaking the eerie silence.
Boland slaps a hand across his mouth and nose, a reaction less to the smell and more so to the gross parody on display before them. Whoever is responsible for this is seriously deranged he thinks. He watches the bodies closely, all to aware that they might rise and attack despite their current inanimate state.