Seeing Trevor return to life, Arasmes decides that it is time to protect himself.
Concentration check:
Trevor awakens to a world of pain, flames searing around him. He watches as a bony flaming foot steps right beside his face and singes to oblivion the nascent little fur he wished he could someday call a mustache.
Taking this as a cue, he tries to get up without opening himself to attacks and takes a powerful swing at one of the remaining skeletons.
Luka's eyes close and his breathing stops as he passes on to Pharasma's boneyard for judgment.
Your burning nemesis sends a kick toward Trevor's ribs as he attempts to rise-
Attack of Opportunity:
- and sears Trevor's side with a skeletal footprint moments before the young paladin drives a bone crushing blow of his axe into the skeleton.
Aldous comes thundering up the hallway on his horse...
Aldous rides in to the rescue, clinging to his summoned mount while she starts to panic at the sight of the unnatural creatures the party has set upon it, still letting Aldous guide her into the fray. Your foes rush as one at the horse, flailing at it while the beast bucks, it's eyes rolling.
Skeleton 1 Vs. horse:
Skeleton 2 Vs. horse:
The burning skeletons rip apart the panicking horse under Aldous, forcing him to make a hurried dismount.
Fast Dismount: Ride DC 20 You can attempt to mount or dismount from a mount of up to one size category larger than yourself as a free action, provided that you still have a move action available that round.
Soft Fall: DC 15. You negate damage when you fall off a mount. If you fail the Ride check, you take 1d6 points of damage and are prone. This usage does not take an action.
Fall Damage + prone.
Trevor's blood rushes through his vein as he is struck by a fury to survive. Watching Aldous' heroic charge and his acrobatic landing on his butt.
He pushes forth, trying to keep a skeleton between him and the horse.
Trevor's swing connects but without the driving, desperate momentum of his previous attacks he only manages to sever some of its ribs, canting it over lopsidedly.
Aldous tries to put together a quick spell, but between the shock of the fall and the need to roll out of the way of a flaming heel getting a little too close for comfort, he doesn't manage it.
Trevor feels like Schrodinger's Cat, both dead and alive...
Arasmes will futilely poke at a nearby skeleton.
Attack:
Damage:
After conjuring a protective barrier around himself, Arasmes calls on the darkness dwelling within him to heal his allies once again.
Concentration Check:
Cure Light Wounds on Trevor:
Trevor feels the uncomfortable knitting of his flesh and smiles. Keeping his eye on the skeleton, he manages a few words: "Thanks Arasmes! For a moment, I thought you were going to attack the skeletons!!!"
The skeleton menacing Arasmes lashes out as he begins his spell:
Skeleton 1 AoO:
But is deflected by the scholar's magical barrier.
Initiative
Aldous: spellcasting fail
Skeletons: attack!
Trevor:
Arasmes:
Trying to weave around the attacking undead while casting a spell is too much for Aldous after that spill off the horse- he loses his place in the incantation, conjuring little more than a noxious puff of green smoke.
The skeletons renew their assault against Arasmes and Trevor:
Skeleton 1 vs. Trevor:
Skeleton 2 vs. Arasmes:
And it proves to be too much for the dynamic duo, as each falls to the ground, their wounds smoking.
Seeing the others go down Aldous exercises the better part of valor and spasms then goes still apparently breathing his last...
The scholar lies dead-still with one eye barely cracked and his breathing as shallow as possible.
Stabilize check for Trevor (DC 10, -2 penalty):
Stabilize for Arasmes (DC 10, -5 penalty):
Aldous falls to the ground, holding his breath and watching his comrades' fates through one eye. The skeletons cease their assault, the flames wreathing them dying down to a few smoldering flames. One grabs the fallen Luka by the limp shoulders, the other taking Trevor. The two begin to drag them from the room, down the western passage. At the very least, Trevor and Arasmes still seem to draw breath.
That hope dies, however, as Aldous feels rather than sees a foul presence enter the room. The hair on the back of his neck tingles and his heart races into his throat. A pair of translucent ankles enter his field of vision, the ghostly flesh badly burned and blistered in patches. The figure bends down, its blazing eyes level with Aldous' own.
"A lucky thing that you're here...", it rasps,"... as there is much to be done."
Aldous' Will save:
The wizard's mind is wracked as a foreign will takes possession- a calculating intelligence, a thirst for vengeance and an appetite for terror washing over the scholar's mind, forcing his own personality into the background.
The Splatter Man stands in his borrowed flesh and brushes the dirt and grime from his clothes, a grin of anticipation crossing his lips. Freedom at last.
The End