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"Well, nothing says "I love you" more to a skeleton than your standard variety club"says Iago with good humor. Eying a nearby intact copse of trees, he adresses the worgs. "Good luck doing worg things. Now Father Barett, allow me to show you how I got this trusty piece of oak." he says, moving towards the trees and pointing at his own club. "I don't really know if it's oak. Someone told me it was made of River Kingdom "Shut The Hell Up", but I think they were just grumpy because they didn't get to beat up an elderly woman with the haft of an axe."
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While the conversation is going on, Etune takes a light mace out of her backpack and affixes it to the outside so it'll be easier to draw in the event it is needed during combat.
"If you see others wearing this--" The halfling pulls out the colorful scarf that they were given to contact Guaril's people. "--they are part of our pack. They are guarding right now, do not attack them."
She tries to think of anything else that might be important but fails to think of anything that might be useful beyond that for the moment.
The two worgs stare at Etune, Mola cocking her head to one side. "You ask for many things. If they are like you, then we would be fools to attack." Both worgs stand, Mola turning to leave. "Good hunting." With that final parting word, Feren follows after.
The path winds its way through the Chitterwood until it forks at the foot of a large and mangled tree. A large tear runs the length of its trunk, splitting the tree nearly in two. The southern half of the tree hangs awkwardly to the side, casting a shadow over a small dip in the land. Iago is easily able to find the cave opening beneath the south side, and recalls the goblinoid forces use of cave networks in the Goblinblood Wars. Survivors supposedly fled to those same tunnels to hide after the defeat.
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"I have not trained my senses to match the ability to see in the dark. I will need a light source"
"I am happy to lead if someone will cast light on the end of my staff. Top or bottom I don't mind" Tajan is happy to keep the light source at ground level or up in the air. He is also willing to be bumped down the line if someone else is keen to go first
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Barret switches his new club between his hands, feeling the weight in his hands and taking a couple practice swings with it as the party walks to the lair of the necromancer. When they reach the cave and the request for light is made, he apologetically shrugs, I do not need light, so I usually do not ask for the power. I shall have to remember to ask in the future for those that cannot see in the darkness. As well, he takes a couple loud steps toward the cave before placing his helmet on and turning back to the Apollyanna, I don't think that collapsing the tunnel will have any real effect on the inhabitants of the tunnel. I'm sure they have many ways of escape if one exit collapses. He then addresses the party as a whole, If no one has any objections, I shall take the lead. I fear not retribution from the inhabitants of this tunnel.
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Barret switches his new club between his hands, feeling the weight in his hands and taking a couple practice swings with it as the party walks to the lair of the necromancer. When they reach the cave and the request for light is made, he apologetically shrugs, I do not need light, so I usually do not ask for the power. I shall have to remember to ask in the future for those that cannot see in the darkness. As well...
Show-off. Apollyanna wrestles with her hooded lantern for a minute or two and finally gets it lit. She holds it in her shield hand.
...he takes a couple loud steps toward the cave before placing his helmet on and turning back to the Apollyanna, I don't think that collapsing the tunnel will have any real effect on the inhabitants of the tunnel. I'm sure they have many ways of escape if one exit collapses.
"Maybe, but who's guarding the caravan right now? I mean that is supposed to be our mission after all. Who's to say that the necromancer hasn't slipped around us, out of one of those other exits?"
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"I hope the necromancer is waiting for his minions to return with loot. May I hold your lantern lady Apollyanna? I am sure you will fight better with your shield on your arm and I came equipped for fighting everything but the dark" Tajan smiles ruefully as he gestures to a silver mace and a cold iron sickle hanging from his belt as he puts his staff in some carryloops on his pack and prepares to take the lantern in one hand pulling out the silver mace with the other. "I will take the last place in the party if the lantern drops to the floor something has snuck up on me"
The party marches down into the dark, guided by the hooded light. Barret steps into an unkempt room littered with debris over the floor, and instantly spots the skeleton to the side as it steps forward to attack! It's claws dig into half-orc flesh as a second skeleton begins to move in to take advantage of the distraction.
25 SR
21 Tajan
20 SL
20 Stephen
13 Apollyanna
11 Iago
10 Etune
6 Barret (Damage: 7)
The skeleton misses Tajan as he moves in past Barret. Unfortunately, Tajan doesn't miss the hidden pit trap that opens beneath him, Stephen unable to react in time to warn him of the danger. The Iroran falls from sight, scraping along the wall where bits of metal and bone are strung, clattering against the earthen walls.
25 SR
21 Tajan (Damage: 10)
20 SL
20 Stephen
13 Apollyanna
11 Iago
10 Etune
6 Barret (Damage: 7)
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Barret looks a little perturbed at the familiar circumstances, and perhaps a little deflated that this combat will be less challenging than the last. Nevertheless, he swings his club with a fury worthy of a Gorumite at the skeleton to his right, loosing a howl of rage pulled straight from the reaches of his orcish ancestry as he does so.
Apollyanna rushes forward, braving the claws of the skeletons as she forces the one back into the pit with Tajan. The clumsy strike misses her as she bulls past, leaving it off-balance enough for Iago to maneuver around safely. Iago's own strike unfortunately fails to connect as well. Tajan sees the skeleton falling to the pit floor beside him, and as it impacts its bones shatter into hundreds of sharp slivers. Luck is with him for once, as he twists away from the worst of the sharp hail. Barret strikes out at the remaining skeleton, dealing it a grievous blow that does not quite finish it.
21 Tajan (Damage: 17)
20 SL (Damage: 10)
20 Stephen (Delay)
13 Apollyanna
11 Iago
10 Etune
6 Barret (Damage: 7)
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"Because the spell works that way! Don't ask the why, ask the how much butt it kicks!"
Etune lines up the fingers of her right hand with of a feral grin and lets loose a torrent of positive energy!
Still uncertain of the effect it might have on the Gorumite, she again pulls the shot a bit too much to the right, where it fades into the wall harmlessly.
21 Tajan (Damage: 17)
20 SL (Damage: 10)
20 Stephen (Delay)
13 Apollyanna
11 Iago
10 Etune
6 Barret (Damage: 7)
The party arcanists are unable to put the skeleton to its eternal rest, giving it the opportunity to savage the half-orc before it again. One claw connects, drawing further blood from the priest.
21 Tajan (Damage: 17)
20 SL (Damage: 10)
13 Apollyanna
11 Iago
10 Etune
6 Barret (Damage: 11)
5 Stephen
Despite the darkness and the ill-suited weapon, Apollyanna strikes down the skeleton. As she does, it explodes in a shower of bone, spraying the melee combatants with sharp pain. Iago is caught with face exposed, but the holy warriors are more fortunate.
Tajan: 17
Apollyanna: 5
Iago: 10
Etune
Barret: 16
Stephen
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Iago shakes his bloody face, blinking. "Excuse me Barret? I think I got some skeleton in my eyes. Would you mind poking me with this stick till the next batch of exploding skeletons comes around the corner?
"Alright then. Tajan, would some knotted rope come in handy? It even comes with it's own grappling hook."
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Having dug out his wand Tajan uses a couple on himself
"Whoa I think Drendle Drang found me a supercharged wand" he says
"Yes IAGO a rope would be fine but leave the grappling hook attached to something solid up there... And be careful If they have the energy to dig one pit they may have repeated the nasty trick"
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"If we wanted to be really mean and we had some marbles or something we could put them in front of the north door and then open it? But I'm fresh out and like I said, that's pretty mean."
Despite her words, Etune has a disturbingly gleeful look on her face when she makes the suggestion.
"Not saying we SHOULD do ANYTHING like that or ANYTHING, though..."
The halfling will help pull people up and keep an eye out.
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"Marbles of course" Tajan slaps his palm to his forehead and then picks up three stones from the floor and mutters an incantation over them May these stones be imbued with your power and return that which was inert back to the earth
"Do you want to take one Etune? I hear your kind are good at throwing stones"
"And thank you for the use of your rope Iago It is good to be amongst pathfinders who know the meaning of cooperate "
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Barret also takes out his wand and begins healing himself between tugs of the rope to get Tajan out of the pit. Those stones could indeed be helpful. As for marbles, I have nothing of the sort, so I cannot see what strategy you were thinking of using, Etune.
He then stomps up to the eastern door and removes his helmet long enough to put his ear against the door to listen for any movement on the other side. Can never be too careful... he mutters to himself.
Iago finds little to attach the hook to, but manages to secure it on the lip of the pit, allowing Tajan to scramble out. A quick examination of the room turns up nothing useful, just the detritus littering the room and tied to the pit walls. Barret does however hear the familiar clink of armor shifting slightly from the other side of the door, distant and quiet but noticeable.
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Barret puts his fingers to his lips in a shushing motion, then whispers to Iago, I hear movement on the other side of the door, something in armor. Be prepared for another fight. He then places his helmet back onto his head, grips his club in one hand, and the door handle in the other, waiting for the ok of the group to kick open the door.