Farther along the road are a pair of ruined shells which appear to have been houses. Opposite them is the remains of House Formidable, the temple of Erastil. Within, about thirty charred skeletons lie in the ash and debris, along with statues which have been pulled down with rope or chain. The ruin still smolders here and there.
I will hang on to the tuning fork.
Morgrom tosses the tuning fork aside when he realizes he doesn't know what it is. Picking up a potion and the long sword, he exits the Sheriff's Office with the rest of the party.
Walking up to the ruins of the church of Erastil, he says, "This is lots o' peasants. Looks like they wuz trapped whiffin tha church. Burned alive. They meant business."
As Morgrom approaches the ruined church, a trio of skeletons crawl from where they lay among the others. As they rise they burst into flame, with thick, black smoke trailing from their empty eye sockets.
Petronicus would have followed a little more closely behind Mogrom. Maybe 30 feet as he had to pick up the tuning fork.
Haer Kul eyes the skeleton's warily and loads his sling.
One of the burning skeletons closes with Morgrom and claws at him, scrabbling unsuccessfully at his armour.
Morgrom sees that the skeleton is wearing a bejeweled golden holy symbol. He is also now within the flaming aura of the undead.
The first shot narrowly misses Mogrom's head, and the second passes harmlessly through the skeleton's empty midsection.
"Slings and cold magic are the ticket here. Try not to get close!"
Bardos steps forward (K14) loading his sling. He fires a sling bullet at one of the burning skeletons (#3).
Bardos' sling bullet strikes home with a crack, but the skeleton is not slowed in its advance. It scrambles out of the church and attacks Morgrom. Its claws sink deep into his flesh of his arm, and the flames char and crack his skin.
Prahd provides some advice to the party, then demonstrates what happens when the advice is not followed, as 2 bolts go astray.
The third skeleton circles around and runs out until it is next to Thorthal.
Petronicus pulls out a scroll and moves to M11 without passing within reach of the skeleton.
As Petronicus moves, Morgrom is burnt by the fiery auras of the skeletons and falls to the ground.
After being burnt, Thorthal smashes his foe to pieces with his shield, unleashing a burst of flame.
The group can now all see that destroying a skeleton next to Morgrom will further damage him, but so will any skeletons remaining next to him.
"We need to draw them away from Morgrom or he will be lost!"
Haer Kul realizes he is not fast enough or strong enough to get to Morgrom and pull him away from the skeletons.
So he will ready a ranged attack with his sling, firing when a skeleton has moved away from Morgrom, before it can close with another party member. , .
Haer Kul looks disappointedly at his obviously defective sling.
Fortunately, the skeletons seem to have no further interest in Morgrom, and one move towards the rest of the group.
Unfortunately, Haer Kul's sling fires wide as it approaches Thorthal.
It misses with its claw, but Thorthal is due for more burning.
Bardos loads and fires his sling again at the skeleton he attacked the first time:
Bardos' shot goes whizzing past the skeleton standing over Morgrom. Its head swivels, then the skeleton clatters towards Prahd.
The undead's claw is ineffective, but now Prahd stands within its flaming aura.
Prahd drops his crossbow and readies his morningstar, then attempts to smash the skeleton in front of him.
He then steps back to give Bardos and Haer Kul a better line of attack (J14).
Petronicus moves to I9, avoiding the reach of the burning skeleton.
"Apologies friend, as I don't doubt this will give you terrible dreams".
He uses his scroll to cast Infernal Healing on Morgrom.
"Ma beard is burnin' up, A donae think A can take much mair o this heat."
Prahd's blow shatters the skeleton, and it erupts in a blast of flame.
Morgrom stabilizes, and his wounds begin closing.
Before Thorthal can strike, he is burned by the skeleton's aura.
For some reason, the remaining skeleton does not follow up, but instead closes with Petronicus as it is missed by Thorthal's swing.
Haer Kul strikes it, but does not stop its attack.
It savagely strikes him down where he kneels to aid the half-orc.
ouch!
Whoops...
Haer Kul moves to get a clear shot , and readies a ranged attack with the sling firing when the remaining skeleton is no longer adjacent to any ally. , , .
"Go ahead and hit it even if it's beside me."
Bardos steps around Prahd, loading his sling again. He fires another bullet at the final skeleton.
Bardos sling bullet lands behind him before he releases the shot.
Prahd charges the skeleton, but his morningstar swings wide.
Petronicus is further scorched where he lies on the ground.
There is a crack and a whistling noise from the wizard's body, similar to the sound of a boiling shellfish.
Morgrom's burn fades slightly.
"Deenae worry aboot me, jist kill it."
The skeleton claws at Thorthal as he stoops to grab Petronicus.
The dwarf receives a horrific wound from the monster. Undeterred, we drags the wizard back out of the fight, then collapses from the exertion.
The skeleton turns on the adjacent crossbowman, and unleashes its full attack.
For once, its fury is unsatisfied.
Prahd steps diagonally (I9) to open up the slingers' line of attack and put himself a bit more between the skeleton and his fallen companions. He then takes what he guesses may be his final attack.
Bardos steps in front of Haer Kul, loading his sling, he fires another sling bullet at the skeleton.
Prahd is burned by the skeleton's aura.
All of the group can now see that the skeleton is wearing a golden holy symbol of a bow.