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Solstice, who's attention is already focussed on the skeleton to the north see's it shake off the fire bolt and start clamboring up the stairs. Double gripping the long spear she had trained in that direction, she takes a tentative poke at the monstrosity.
+0/1d8-1 Longspear [1d8; crit x3; dmg: S]
Knowing the nature of skeletons and seeing it pass harmlessly through the apertures between bones, she rattles the spear around a bit before withdrawing it.
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Blue looks like the next threat so she casts an Ear-piercing Scream and changes the damage type to fire (fire sorcerer special).
and dazed. DC 18 fort save for half and to avoid being dazed.
Serge Brings his massive two-handed greatsword into a powerful downward arc. The heavy blade makes a whooshing sound as the air around the undead is forcefully parted by the blade. Hastily the paladin overreached, causing the blade to miss its target.
Fundir begins to feel an arid heat around himself. Within moments the heat increases, leaving the hunter feeling drastically parched as the moister in his body begins to dry-out.
Even through the arid heat, the hunter finds the strength to bring his mace into a powerful side-handed blow that strikes the ribcage of the (Red) undead.
Gale attempts to maintain a perch on Mia’s shoulder as the Witch dodges the (Green) undead’s attack. On more than one occasion the little bird flutters to regain its footing.
Mia retrieves her club as the (Green) undead continues to presses her with claw and nail. Committed to maintain her position, she swings her club with powerful momentum, striking the undead squarely on its skull. “CLUNK!” the club rings out as the undead’s disembodied skull fly’s across the room clanking multiple objects as it settles to the ground. Finally the undead’s headless body collapses to the ground.
Felli flips his sword around and attempts to bash the (Blue) undead with the blade’s hilt. Awkward and unbalanced the rogue finds the improvised weapon difficult to wield but takes a feeble swing at the undead just the same.
Solstice opens her mouth in what appears to be a silent scream. Almost immediately afterwards, a reddish-orange flash erupts around the (Blue) undead. After the display subsides it becomes apparent that the flash had no effect on the animated corps.
The undead continue their mindless attack on the group.
Fundir
Gale
Mia
Felli
Solstice
Undead (Blue)
Undead (Red)
Serge
Serge
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Noting Felli's tactics, Serge drops his greatsword and takes out his earthbreaker. "Fundir, back away. You've done enough. Let me handle this."
Luck is not on his side today and Serge only pounds the ground underneath the undead minion with the giant hammer, spraying the air with small shards of stone.
Mia tries to properly reach Felli's shoulder, to aid anothher in case the skeleton would strike at him.
At a small motion of her head, Gale tries to get some attention from the skeleton, to aid other on Felli's attack.
In melee combat, you can help a friend attack or defend by distracting or interfering with an opponent. If you're in position to make a melee attack on an opponent that is engaging a friend in melee combat, you can attempt to aid your friend as a standard action. You make an attack roll against AC 10. If you succeed, your friend gains either a +2 bonus on his next attack roll against that opponent or a +2 bonus to AC against that opponent's next attack (your choice), as long as that attack comes before the beginning of your next turn. Multiple characters can aid the same friend, and similar bonuses stack.
You can also use this standard action to help a friend in other ways, such as when he is affected by a spell, or to assist another character's skill check.
Undead are immune to -effects- that require fort rolls. Ear piercing scream has the dazed as an extra effect, but it looks as if it would still take that damage, or half at least. But that's up to GM ruling.
I'll cast guidance instead.
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Fundir gasps as the heat overcomes him, and cries out as the skeleton assaults him again. The normally quiet serpent man is desperate. His companions try to cover for him, but the surrounding press of his friends tells him that he has nowhere to run. He closes his eyes for a moment, gathers what little strength is left to him, and brings his mace back up, hoping to at least take one down with him.
He smiles as his mace connects with his foe.. satisfied.
Serge drops his large sword, which clanks heavily to the ground. With his hands now free, the paladin reaches back and retrieves his earth-breaker. The paladin brings the heavy hammer down with as much might as he can muster, which strikes the floor next to the undead with a loud “Crack!”
Fundir condition worsens as the Nagaji begins to look more and more dried out. His skin begins to look dried and cracked while his eyes become bloodshot and sunken in. Soon the Hunter begins to feel dizzy and weak. In a final act of desperation the hunter brings his mace into a powerful swing that connects with the Red undead. The blow strikes with full force, sending most of the undead’s skeletal rib-cage flying across the room.
Gale finally finds her footing as she clings to Mia’s shoulder. “Mia stay away from those things they are dangerous. Stay back here where it’s safe!”
Mia reaches out and places a calming hand on Felli’s shoulder while casting a spell. Upon completion of the witches spell, Felli begins to feel calm and focused.
Felli once again attempts to swing his blade’s hilt as an improvised weapon. The awkward balance of the blade makes it difficult to wield causing the rogue to feel like he may never land a solid hit with it. While lifting the backwards-blade high overhead, Felli feels Mia's hand come from behind and rest on his shoulder. her soft voice begins uttering words of magic that causes the rogue relax. With the added focus from Mia's spell, the rogue’s improvised weapon impacts the undead, sending bone fragments flying everywhere.
Solstice conjures a ray of fire that literally singes the hair on Felli’s neck as the beam skirts the side of the hunter and strikes the undead in front of him. The beam erupts into a spectacle of flame as it impacts with the undead’s skull. This sends bits of chard bone flying everywhere as the skull explodes under the massive heat of the ray.
Fundir lays on the ground, curled up, sweating profusely. The hunter's lips are dried and crack along with most of his skin. The Nagaji looks like he has spent countless nights in the dessert without water.
The storm continues to beat down on the fragile city as it sends hurricane force winds to sand strip anything in its path. The canvas roof continues to flap uncontrollably while large amounts of sand continues to pour through the area that is no longer covered by the canvas. Battered, dust covered tents lay sprawled out across the indoor camp site, which currently has three levels. The ground level sits (15’) below the celling to the south, while the level below sits (10’) below that. The pit to the east drops another 20’ below the lower level and appears to empty into another dark room below. Besides a couple trampled fire pits, two crates sit on a small pile of hay up against the north wall. Outside of the howling of the storm and the armored movements of the group, the room becomes silent.
Fundir
Mia
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As Solstice finishes off the final undead creature, Serge quickly pulls his waterskin from his pack and dumps the contents into Fundir's Mouth. He then holds his wand on the nagaji's chest and whispers a prayer as positive energy flows out of it.
"O great Ragathiel, look down upon our ally. Renew the life within him that he may live to fight for the downtrodden, unfortunate, and innocent just as I may."
Lastly, he picks up his greatsword and sheathes it on his back.
Serge's prayer is answered as positive energy flows into the hunter. The energy begins to bind Fundir's wounds, as well as offset the dramatic loss of his bodily fluids. The healing combined with the water from Serge's waterskin revives Fundir, who feels more than a little thirsty.
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Fundir weakly opens his eyes, and sees Serge leaning over him praying. "Thank you, my friend" he hisses out through the worst cotton mouth of his life. "The ssssskeletonsssss.. did they fall? Isssss everyone ok?" he looks around at his companions while the healing glow of the spells course through his body restoring his strength. With help he climbs up from the floor and turns to his companions, giving them a deep bow of respect. "That wassss a difficult battle, but we prevailed. My deepesssst thankssss for your healing and aid."
Once his thanks have been received, he peers around the room, looking to see if there is anything else besides death to be found while drinking deeply of his own water bottle.
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Satisfied with the destruction of the undead he turns to Mia, "Thanks for the help, otherwise I fear I would've done no damage again." With that said, he sheaths his sword before he looks around.
Spotting that Fundir is getting help he moves over to the ladder that leads down and looks down. "After everyone is healed from our fight. We should investigate what is down there before we think about setting up camp to wait out the storm. We don't want any surprises while we are resting."
Before he starts to climb down the ladder he rethinks and looks at the others, "Anyone have a light source they could possibly toss down to illuminate the next level before I climb down to investigate?"
After recovering from his brush with death, Fundir regains his feet and begins to inspect the upper area. Within the nearby tent, the hunter finds a black colored potion and a 25’ coil of gray hemp rope.
25’ of Hemp Rope
Black colored potion
Felli begins to clamber down the first ladder but then hesitates as he realizes that the darkness below is jet black and beyond his ability to see. The sound of the wind begins to increase and the flapping canvas brakes another binding, causing a much bigger gap in the canvas ceiling. The amount of sand coming through the gap increases, while the group can observe lightening strike a nearby building. The flash is followed by the roaring sound of thunder and the continuous battery of blistering sand.
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Fundir pulls out the rope and the potion, and carefully looks them over.
Following this, he grabs the rock that he cast light on, and brings it over to the ladder, following Felli with the light. "I may be able to ssssee in the dark, but I know that otherssss cannot." he says, following the others and lighting the way for them.
Fundir casts detect magic and begins focusing on the two items. Both have a magical aura. After concentrating a little longer, Fundir attempts to understand the nature of the items and how they function. Unfortunately, both items are beyond the ranger's understanding.
From the ladder the ambient light from Fundirs spell sheds a shadowy luminescence into the pit. The pit descends 20' down to a breach that extends into a lower level room to the East.
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Mia is relieved when the skeleton's threat had passed.
The lizardly comrade was in more hurt than her own gashed shoulder was, though.
She smiles gently when she's thankd by Felli and Solstice.
"You're welcome, but my part wasn't too big. Still, we survived, and those bones didn't."
She looks hopefully for a tap of the paladin's wand.
After Fundir tries to get a reading on the potions, Mia offers for a try.
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Serge notices Mia has a wound on her arm, though superficial, and offers her a tap of his wand to treat the injury.
"This building won't hold for long," he says as he looks up at the crack in the ceiling and the sand pouring in. "We have to keep moving." He finds a crate to put one end of the rope underneath and then ties handholds and footholds into the rope before throwing it down into the pit. "I'll go first, just in case."
Mia Casts Detect magic and begins concentrating on both items. Within the first six seconds she determines that both the potion and the 25’ foot of rope are magical. First she begins to focus on the rope. After a few moments she is able to determine that the rope is a magical item called an Iron Rope.
Aura One magical Aura; CL 4th; Weight 1 lb.
Slot none Identify: DC 19
DESCRIPTION
When the end of this gray hemp rope is held and the command word is uttered, it is irrevocably transmuted into solid iron. The transmuted rope loses all magic and has the hardness and hit points of a normal inch-thick iron bar. When crafted, the rope is 25 feet long, but can be cut up to three times and each section of rope can be commanded to harden individually.
Taking her time, Mia ends the spell and once again casts guidance on herself. After compleating the inspirational spell, she casts detect magic again and then continues to concentrate on the black potion. Soon she is able to determine that the black vial is a potion of cure moderate wounds.
Serge moves over and begins to tie knots into a rope. During the process, Serge sees a ladder protruding out of the pit
Solstice stands quietly observing the paladin and the rogue work under Fundir's magical light source. She watches as Serge drags over one of the crates and slides a rope under the crate. He then begins testing the rope to see if it will hold his weight. Solstice finds herself wondering how many feet the paladin will get before the rope, or the crate, are pulled into the pit with the paladin.
While Serge begins pulling one of the crates over to the pit, Gale fly's over to the area where Serge found the crate. After a quick inspection, the bird starts pecking away at a patch of small grubs that tumbled out of the rotten wood when Serge began moving the crate. By the time serge makes it over to the pit, Gale fly's back over to Mia's. "Mia there is something funny looking under the hay. I seen it while I was eating the crawly bugs." The bird whispers into Mia's ear.
The canvas roof looks like it wont hold much longer. Without the canvas roof in place, it wont take long before most of the area will be covered with a moderate level of sand. This will likely make finding things in the area more difficult.
Once reaching the bottom of the ladder, Serge finds another corps lying on the mud and stone covered floor. Beyond the breach, a moderate sized room can be made out as the light from above sends shadows cascading off the paladin's form. Felli holds the light-stone out as fare as he can, which illuminates part of the room beyond the breach.
This cold, dark stone chamber has walls covered in ancient markings that the ages have worn to the point of illegibility. The higher portion holds a dried-up well, a ladder leading up (That Serge is standing next to), and descending stairs to the north. The floor has fallen near the east wall, exposing another chamber below.
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Fundir packs away the rope once Mia identifies it, saving it for later use. He watches with trepidation as Serge begins to move stuff around, then sighs with relief as the man chooses the ladder instead. He holds his lighted stone aloft, granting Serge as much light as he can.. then he remembers the torches in his pack. "Ssssstupid me.." he mutters, grabbing a torch and lighting it before tossing the enspelled stone down to Serge with a whistled warning. "Who isssss next?" he asks, keeping his position near the ladder, securing it for the next person.
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Solstice was about to sit on the crate to give it some gravity, but when she saw the grubs tumble out she backed off in a hurry. She descends and joins Serge, leaning up against the wall.
"You looked lonely down here."
She begins to softly sing a haunting melody about a ghost in the crags, while she examines the writing on the wall, trying to make sense of it.
After considering Mia’s statement about something being in the hay, Fundir moves over to the hay and begins carefully sifting through the rotted hay.
Mia takes a moment to reward her bird for its perceptiveness, while Fundir begins sifting through the hay. Soon the last binding of the canvas roof tears free, which allows the powerful wind and sand to bellow into the room. Gale grapples onto Mia’s shoulder for dear life, as the wind threatens to blow the tiny bird clear across the room. Sand quickly begins to cover the floor with a gritty texture that extends down into the pit. Those that have transitioned into the pit and beyond notice a heavy amount of sand and grit bellow through the breach and begin to coat the adjoining room as well.
Serge discovers a small satchel lying next to the corps at the bottom of the ladder. Within the satchel he finds a rolled up scroll. After inspecting the satchel he moves further into the room.
Beyond the breach, Felli moves over to the well and peers down into the well, which drops about 30’ to a sand covered stone bottom. The well is large enough to accommodate an average sized man and it spears to be sturdy.
Solstic begins to move down into the pit, where she calls back to Mia about the discovery in the hay and then moves over to Serge and Felli.
Serge, Felli, and Solstic find a number of ancient clay pots sitting near the well. The pots look to be Taldan and appear to be one of the items listed on the Archeological Report.
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As he canvas tears free, Fundir quickly covers his eyes and braces himself against the wall of wind that slams him. Without looking at the shard, he tucks it away and carefully moves back to the ladder, shepherding Mia ahead of him so she can climb down safely. Once she is safely down, he begins his own descent, following the rest of the group. Once he finds them, he hands the shard off to someone more knowledgeable and says "We found thissss above. I do not know what it isssss... sssssomething important??" before looking around.
While carefully looking into the well, Felli thinks he sees the glint of something metallic.
Mia begins examining the pottery as Fundir transitions through the first breach and into the room carrying the shard of pottery he found in the previous room. After giving Mia the pottery shard, Fundir joins Serge in a fundamental search of the room.
At the well, Fundir points out that there is an old looking dagger lying at the bottom of the well that is reflecting the light from the room. This confirms Felli’s first assessment that something is indeed at the bottom of the well.
While continuing with their rounds, Fundir and Serge also come across a well-preserved, ancient, Taldan home. Upon first inspection the old style home looks to be in good condition, with considering of its age of course. Its exterior paint has the type of weathering one would expect to see on an old style home of that time and a lot of the stonework is similar to Taldan masonry.
Close to the old structer, Fundir and Serge find a collapsed tunnel to the south that looks like it might have extended into a another chamber.
More to the east, Fundir and Serge point out that part of the foundation has given away, which in turn has created a breach in the floor. A closer inspection reveals that the breach empties into another dark room below.
Finally, to the north east of the room, the two observe a stairway that descends at a 45 degree slope downward.
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"Mia, there is a magical dagger at the bottom of the well. Think you can use your spellcraft to figure out what it is? It's thirty feet down. I could get it out with mage hand except its magical. Do any of you thinks we could put together some kind of hoist I could slip under it? Or perhaps one of you could just climb down, though I don't know if that would be wise considering the ambush we just weathered.
Weathered. Te he.