"I truly don't know. Perhaps they speak to some secret desires or fears in one's heart."
The big orc tries his best to hide the shudder that goes through his spine.
"Uh, thanks."
"Well thats comforting. Maybe this is just all in our heads then?" Cyna asks herself.
"I don't think it should be to difficult to navigate now." The ranger replies to Skaar. "So long as nothing gets between us and there."
"I wouldn't count on it." Drago mumbled, his mind still reeling from vision the night before. Shaking his head, "Well I suppose we'd better get going then."
The clouds quickly move to block the sun as you set out from the chapel. The going is easy enough as there is nothing between you and the fort. You glance out towards the bay and see the lighthouse still standing, the light making its way along its route. After three hours of walking and a small climb up the path leading to the fort.
The fort is a small structure of blackened stone, copper embellishments upon the iron doors. The left door depicts a man being slain by another, the right depicting a wizard of some sort drawing a spirit out of the slain man's wound. Looking around the fort, you see no vegetation of any kind. The heavy iron cannons peek from the crenelations at the top.
Aurelea is silent during the trek, her mind engaged with the previous night's dreams and the mystery that tied Clara to the horrors they had witnessed in their sleep.
Shaking herself, she brings her focus to bear on the fortress. There would be time for questions later.
Walking back and forth she studies the structure, trying to recall anything she may have heard about the place or gain any clues from the design of the fortress as to what to expect.
Knowledge History
Knowledge Engineering
Skaar grunts at the sight of their destination.
"I don't like the look of that place", he says. "Any chance we can get in unseen?"
"I have one spell, but it doesn't last very long," Drago responded.
Cyna shrugs and says. "I can try but I don't know how much that will help once were in."
Aurelea surveys the fort. The structure's style looks a few centuries old, but has been maintained, by whom or what she cannot fathom a guess. There are no entry points besides the front door or weak areas that the group could access.
"I guess we're goin' in the front door", Skaar says.
"Let's hope those aren't manned", the big orc says while pointing toward the cannons.
"It's not the cannon's I'm worried about." Drago said with some trepidation.
Skaar studies the walls for any sign of movement.
As you open the doors, it doesn't long for a threat to arise. Eight skeletons push themselves off the wall in the entry room, weapons in hand.
Initiative:
Round 1: Harakhty, Aurelea, Skeletons, Drago, Skaar, Cyna
Aurelea draws her sword quickly chanting a spell that bolsters her defenses.
Harakhty draws his quarterstaff and moves in & to the side of the doorway, allowing others room to enter. His eyes strain to find details of their opponents. Perhaps a particular kind of person rises from the dead here.
The skeletons quickly swarm the group attacking with their broken weapons.
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In the flurry of weapon swings, only Drago is narrowly hit by the broken scimitar.
Round 1: Harakhty, Aurelea, Skeletons, Drago, Skaar, Cyna
Skaar bats the rusted blades aside and lunges for the one that took a swing at Harakhty.
"Leave this one to me lil 'Nara", the orc grunts.
Cyna grabs her morningstar and swings the weapon at the undead that struck Drago.
Drago, feeling the bite of the rusted scimitar, stepped back, , and tried to disrupt the skeleton.
Seeing Skaar take things into his own hands, Harakhty turned around to keep them off his back.
Aurelea charges forward, engaging the first free skeleton within reach, her blade humming in anticipation.
Drago misses with his spell, but Cyna follows up with a resounding bash, crushing the skeleton. Skaar grabs the skeleton in his large hands. Aurelea rushes in but her weapon seems ineffective against the shambling bones. Harakhty moves toward another skeleton, but fails to connect.
The skeletons swing their weapons again, eager to rend flesh.
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The skeletons are a little more successful as one cuts Skaar and another brings its scimitar down on Cyna viciously. The skeleton attempting to break free shakes and struggles, but makes no progress.
Round 2: Harakhty, Aurelea, Skeletons, Drago, Skaar, Cyna
Cyna takes a step back holding her morningstar in her flexible tail. "Smash them with this Aurelea." Cyna says holding the weapon out for her.
The ranger draws her bow and lets loose two blunt arrows.
Drago launches his spell at one of the skeletons attacking Skaar.
Drago's spell misses its target but the first of Cyna's arrows does, but the second, unnecessary one flies off, striking the wall and shattering.
Round 2: Harakhty, Aurelea, Skeletons, Drago, Skaar, Cyna
Skaar grunts as he feels a rusted blade score his hide but ignores it long enough to shift his grip down the skeleton's waist. The big orc's frame tenses as he gathers he shifts his strength. Lifting his opponent overhead, he falls backwards suplexing the skeleton into another with crushing force.
Skaar's suplex smashes the two skeletons, scattering their bones.
Round 3: Harakhty, Aurelea, Skeletons, Drago, Skaar, Cyna
As his victim to smashed to pieces, Skaar scrambles to his feet.
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As Skaar gets to his feet, the remaining skeleton takes a wide swipe at the orc which fails to hit.
Time seems to slow for Aurelea as she sees the battle unfolding before her. Bringing her sword point down she drops her weapon, the sharp blade planting itself into the ground as she spins past Cyna, snatching the out-held weapon as she completes her turn, he innate power calling forth the rusted weapon's old glory as she brings it around in a strike to the nearest skeleton.
Worried there would be a repeat of the incident on the ship they crossed, Harakhty charged the skeleton left in the open .
Surely these creatures cannot be everywhere. If they are, we're in for a long stay...
Harakhty's attack goes wide, missing the skeleton. Aurelea has better luck, taking the morningstar and bashing another skeleton into dust. The skeletons raise their weapons for another attack.
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Round 3: Harakhty, Aurelea, Skeletons, Drago, Skaar, Cyna
The hulking orc watches with satisfaction as the pitted blade glances off of his new over-sized pauldron. He answers his opponent with a big right hook.
Drago steps to the side, , and fires off another ray.
Cyna grabs the spare weapon Skaar retrieved for her the night before and jumps in between Aurelea and Harakthy. She takes the mace and swings for the undead to her right.
Harakhty swings his quarterstaff at the undead again, hoping it would have greater effect.
Drago, Skaar and Cyna finish off the last three skeletons. As their bones crumble to dust, you see movement in the room ahead.
Skaar gestures for the party to look ahead and then quickly moves forward.
Happy the monsters are vanquished, Harakhty follows behind Skaar.
Skaar clenches a massive fist as he peers around the corner.
"Careful lil 'Nara. There might be more deadmen up ahead", the orc whispers.
Skaar peers into the room beyond. Littered with trash and bones, there are two doors on each side and a stairway leading to the top of the fort. In front of the stairs are two more skeletons, but they seem better armed and content to watch the group from their position. They run their hands along the hilt of the their swords, expecting trouble.
"More deadmen", Skaar muses aloud. "But they're just watchin' us..."
"What's wrong with 'em?"
Moving in behind Harakhty, Drago observed the skeletons.
"I don't think these are mindless like the last bunch."
Cyna takes a peek at the guards and says "Probably ordered to guard the stairs, they'll likely attack if we go that way. Which is why it's likly the way we need to go. "
"Then if they can think, we should talk to them." Harakhty replies in a whisper before stepping beside the group.
To the skeletons in a louder voice: "We don't seek any trouble. What is this place?"
"Do your eyes deceive you, vanara?" one of the guards answers. "This a fort meant to keep trespassers away. If you truly do not seek trouble, turn away. If you wish to meet with the master, then come closer..."
This is ridiculous. "Perhaps we are not trespassers. I have no qualm with your master. You can speak for a reason; let's find an way to work this out."
"You have no claim to this land or this place. You are trespassers. Indeed you have an issue with our master, else you would not be here nor would he have bothered to make mention of you," the guard counters. "We speak merely at his whim. We are not here to negotiate."