You all find yourselfs in the very same sewer you traversed yesterday, as dank and gloomy as before. However where you all stopped to climb up and out which lead to the showdown with the clerics, the little blue Xvart head to the left further down the tunnel. A long time seemed to pass, as the creature weaved underneath the old city for what seemed an hour at least. There were several pauses along the way, as the sounds of buzzing in the distance reminding you of the stirge attacks, but they never closed with you or your guide. Finally he led you to a point where there was a rusted grate, long since fallen off that lead you out of the sewers and there ankle deep in the river.
This way, yes? Bads are this way."
The little Xvart began leading its way south along the river's edge. In the distance there looked to be an some sort of 2 story building, a high wall keeping you from getting too good a look at it, an old watermill slowly circled along the waters edge.
From this distance the building looks old, probably abandoned. The water wheel looks in ill repair as well.
"Are you sure this is it? This place looks run down and abandoned."
"A humanoid has taken up residence there recently some scrub has been removed haphazardly. There's a smile fire burning but you can just about make out the smoke from the chimney. I heard a dog, likely for security or companionship."
"It looks abandoned to me with a ruined water wheel, but you have good eyes Zardu. We approach, and strike when we see an enemy."
Gudleifr begins to move, spear in hand.
Zinar casts Detect magic to see if he picks up on anything.
At first nothing seems to register as magical to you Zinar, but then just when you were about to stop scanning you caught a faint slightly moving glitter of magical energies... pausing and focusing on it, you could detect the hint of necromancy. You are far enough away you can't tell much more, but the slight glimmer of necromantic magic you "see" is moving in what appears to be a predicticble path back and forth.
"We can sneak up, and on a hand signal, enter through the doors."
Zinar explain what he "sees" to the others.
"Undead maybe?"
"Perhaps. Good work, Zinar. Hopefully they will prove to be dumb servitors rather than cunning foes."
"Before we engage it let me ask from a blessing from Saranrae so I could better harm an undead."
"Certainly, Zardu. We'll take all the help that we can get!"
PARTY UP
Gudleifr begins to creep towards the front door, longspear in hand.
Zinar will fallow as quite as he can.
Zardu holds back a moments and casts a blessing on his scimitar while it is still in it's sheath.
Taking a cue from her fellow party members, as the dead is not something she often fought, she creeps along with Untari
The house is eerily quiet, Zinar with your detect magic you can see the faint traces of necromatic energy moving though the walls, but nothing else.
To the right along the shore you can see several marks that looks like landing spots that longboats have been brought up against, although at the moment the small landing is empty.
PARTY UP
Gudleifr looks around, seeking the foe.
Quietly, he says to the others:
"Search the place. Find them, or find what you can."
He does as he says.
Zardu checks over the area checking for anything of note. He keeps his eyes peeled for tracks.
Zardu you do indeed see several tracks heading in and out of the millhouse, most of them heading to where the little beach landing is, though its clear they also head around back behind the building.
Like animated undead uncaring creatures as you close you do indeed see a skeleton walk past the window, from its lack of movenment or reaction you dont believe that it has noticed you.
Gudleifr judging by the look of the beach, someone within the hour probably took a boat from the beach there and sailed it... somewhere probably downriver to the capital.
Zinar, as you closed to the building you could see the faintest hint of magic above the door. Some sort of ward. Your best guess is that it is either an alarm spell... or that it triggers something to do with the skeletons.
Kelisa Untari glares at the building as you close taking several deep inhalations and then shaking his head. You are not entirely sure but he smells something that he really doesnt care for.
"We have two choices. Break into a building to fight skeletons and perhaps find clues, or head downriver in the hope of finding the robes and their boat. Unless ye object, I say we breach the building and smash any bones in our path."
"Heads up people, there is some kind of ward on the door." whispers Zinar.
"I think dealing with the building is best. There are a few tracks some of them lead behind the building, if we can't get around that ward their might be another entrance... come to thing of it going through the window might be a good way to avoid it too!"
"Good work, Zinar. And through the window is a fine plan, Zardu. Let us do it!"
Gudleifr goes first, carefully.
Zardu tries to follow Gudleifr's example... possibly a little too well.
The act of climbing into the windows to sidestep the possible spell warding the door and remaining a surprise was clearly subverted by the way Gudleifr and then Zardu noisely clambered through the window.
Kelisa follows quickly in after her companions, but that is about all as she was going to try and get Untari in.
Zardu charges forward to make way for the others and strike down one of the undead.
Dimly recalling tales of warriors having to "smash the bones of the dead who walk", Gudleifr draws his light hammer and goes to work on the skeleton in front of him.
Zinar does a quick design in the air with a finger
"Armor de magico"
The skeleton that Zardu charged crumbled into a pile of bones as his scimitar smashed through. Your blow Gudliefr struck the shoulder of the skeleton by the window its left arm shattering to the ground... but the dark magic providing the dead creature life held still.
There was no moment to gloat about your strike Zardu as the other skeleton moved quicker than one would have anticipate its old rusted blade stabbed deep into your side only you surprised stumble backwards kept it from gutting you entirely.
You hear what sounds to be angry yelling up the stairs and crashing sounds down the stairs.
Zandar moving a hand is a counter-clockwise pattern casts a spell at the green skeleton. A bolt of energy flies from Zandar's hand and going around his party member, right for the skeleton.
Gudleifr swings his hammer once more, determined to put this dead to rest.
Zardu's swing is thrown off by his new injury and misses the skeleton.
Kalisa climbed into the window after pushing her cat in, the last feline growled angrily and leapt torward the skeleton attacking Zardu.
From downstairs come two men in robes, one of them grabs a unrecognizible holy symbol and starts to chant, the others readies his morningstar and shield. it looks like he plans to smash the first person to close.
In the cats haste to get at the skeleton he slams into your legs Zardu almost knocking you from your feet!
Seeing the newcomers, Gudleifr shouts to his fellow Silver Shields as he continues to swing:
"Bring down the one carrying the symbol! Use range or reach if you can!"
Zardu takes a chance and moves over to strike at the man carrying the symbol.
Zandar moves forward and unleashes another force bolt at the one that has the holy symbol.
"You fiends the true god will!"
The man with the symbol began his words cut off as a missle of magical energy slammed into his chest. Just as he managed to straighten up from the magical blow Zardu's blade cut through his armor into his chest.
"I still stand!"
The religious zealot roared out immediately catching Kelisa's arrow with his face. He crumpled to the ground still breathing but apparently not for long.His companion screamed hoarsely at the sight of the other man falling and he took a step back and began weaving his hands forth grabbing a small pouch and throwing it torwards Zardu. a bright swirl of golden dust began in about a 10 foot area around him.
Unlearned in the ways of magic, Gudleifr strikes the skeleton in front of him.
"Zardu, You just got glitterdusted. Can you still see?"
Zandar launches a force missle at the (green) skeleton.
"I can still see!" Zardu swings at the man who just cast glitterdust on him.
Chunks of the skeletons (green) bones are shattered from the impact of your spell Zinar, though it still remains upright if but barely. For some reason Gudleifr the skeleton harrying you has proven to be the most agile and annoying opponent. Whether by forture or skill the bones steps back to easily avoid your hammer strike.
"MASTER! HELP!"
The robed zealot that tried to blind you cries out Zardu as you follow him out the back door, your blade cutting deep into him, though not deep enough it seems to end him. He grabs a potion bottle from his hip while side stepping away drinking it while trying to move erratically to throw off your aim.
The stairs that are leading from the floor above you creak in protest as a large man in dark robes begins his decent downwards. He chants something quickly and a thin blue beam streaks from his hand torwards you Zinar.
"By the gods! Slay this necromancer!"
Gudleifr begins to reposition to cover Zardu as he keeps raining blows towards the skeleton.
The dark skinned elf lets out a cry of annoyance and looses an arrow at the new target while her cat growls at the skeleton that just tried to stab it.
The large feline finally manages to strike the animated bones after snapping at it with his tail lashing and ears pinned back. Almost comically It swiped at it knocking its left leg out of joint and as the skeleton tumbled to the floor its paw caught the skull in mid air sending it flying away.
The dark elf's arrow seemed to strike true but just as it looked like the arrow was about to lodge in the large man's throat a brief green glimmer seemed to flash and the arrow disintegrated.
Frustrated by the skeleton's continued survival, Gudleifr keeps circling it whilst trying to cave in its skull.