Attempting to stand back up in the fiery grease...
Only one of the five skeletons slipping and sliding in the flaming grease slick manages to regain its footing!
CARDINAL LUCIUS! THEN ROUND 2!! EEEEK!!
,
[dice=AoO (flank, FE, prone)]1d20+7+2+2+4, [dice=for]2d4+10+2
Boga rejoices at the pile of bones in front of him. He maintains any flanking he is providing while calling upon the Lord for blessings, "May your strikes be true, Johann."
[dice=AoO (flank, FE, prone)]1d20+7+2+2+4, [dice=for]2d4+10+2
Even struggling to regain balance, the skeletal champion evades Zagathoth’s equally awkward swing... he must reach a little too far over the grease to make an effective blow, and Doomcrescent cuts only air with its lethal whistling...
Round 2
With all these skeletons caught in one big pile, Ogon can't resist copying Arc's move...
Zagathoth scowls at how poorly aimed his last swing proved to be and with an angry grunt tries again to hit the now standing skeleton...
,
Zagathoth scowls at how poorly aimed his last swing proved to be and with an angry grunt tries again to hit the now standing skeleton...
[dice=AoO (flank, FE)]1d20+7+2+2, [dice=for]2d4+10+2
After casting his fiery spell, the Fox begins shifting his position so he can distract a skeleton from Zagathoth's next attack...
I'm an idiot. I did a quick copy and paste to save time typing out my bonuses and forgot to switch "AoO" back to "power attack"...
Pointing at the commanded skeleton "Take them down with everything you've got." Then quickly retrieving his wand Quinlan sends a trio of angry hornets at the closest skeleton.
The blood drains from Arc's face at the unexpected sight of his fellow student and one-time victim. He glances around the room frantically as he tries to discern if his fellow adventurers can see the specter, but since no one is paying any attention, he tries to force himself to calm down. No matter how brave a face he puts on, however, his brow still shines with sweat and his hands still tremble with fear.
Looking around the room bathed in the crystal's red glow, Boga notices the sudden paleness and suprise in Arc's visage as he stares into the red crystal. Briefly Boga, too, looks within it, but despite its beauty, he quickly averts his eyes to avoid suffering whatever has happened to Arc. Walking up behind Arc, he grips his shoulder and gives a light shake. "Is everything ok? You look like you've seen a ghost!" Boga asks, giving a small chuckle.
Round 2
With all these skeletons caught in one big pile, Ogon can't resist copying Arc's move...
Goon Fox’s magical flames renew the fire blazing in the grease slick, roasting the skeletal champions!
The two skeletal champions that manage to stand in the flaming grease attack! One swings its rusty blade at Johann... striking for slashing damage! The other at Zagathoth... misses!
The commanded skeleton leaps toward the one attacking Johann, bringing it onto the flaming grease... The commanded skeleton falls prone and automatically takes full fire damage!
ROUND 3!! FIGHT!! EEEEK!! EEEEEK!!
THE ADVENTURERS AT WILL!
THE SKELETAL CHAMPIONS!
OOH OOH AH AH!!!
Boga crosses himself and prays for assistance to Zagathoth, "Lord, bless the strong arm of Zagathoth that it may swing true."
Zagathoth takes advantage of the nearest skeleton's awkward effort to stand...
He scowls when two of them make it to their feet and swings doomcresent hard at the one that attacked him...
The Fox steps up and swings at one of the skeletons, but it's only an attempt to distract it from Johann's next strike.
Zagathoth takes advantage of the nearest skeleton's awkward effort to stand...
[dice=AoO (flank, FE, prone)]1d20+7+2+2+4
[dice=for]2d4+10+2He scowls when two of them make it to their feet and swings doomcresent hard at the one that attacked him...
[dice=power attack (flank, FE, sacred)]1d20+7+2+2+2
[dice=for]2d4+10+2
Zagathoth’s mighty swing smashes the already burnt skeletal champion apart!
His backswing knocks the skull off another skeletal champion struggling to stand, and it collapses motionless back on the heap of burning, slipping skeletal wardens!
The Fox steps up and swings at one of the skeletons, but it's only an attempt to distract it from Johann's next strike.
[dice=Aid Another attack AC 10]1d20+2+2+2+2
Fox effectively distracts one of the skeletal champions for Zagathoth’s attacks! A second later, it is headless and lying upon the pile!
With the situation very much in hand, Arc smiles deviously at the effectiveness of the group's tactics. "A well-timed spell goes a long way, Monsieur Fox!" With the fighters putting in work up front and no immediate threats presenting themselves, he takes aim at a skeleton and defaults to his usual strategy.
With the situation very much in hand, Arc smiles deviously at the effectiveness of the group's tactics. "A well-timed spell goes a long way, Monsieur Fox!" With the fighters putting in work up front and no immediate threats presenting themselves, he takes aim at a skeleton and defaults to his usual strategy.
[dice=Disrupt Undead]d20+4-4
[dice=Damage]1d6
The targeted skeletal champion rolls out of the way just in time to dodge Arc’s ray of positive energy...
The skeletal champion attacking Johann attempts to stay standing in the fiery grease... succeeds... Standing unsteadily, it tries to avoid the flames as best it can...
The skeletal champion attacking Zagathoth attempts to stay standing in the fiery grease... succeeds... Standing unsteadily, it tries to avoid the flames as best it can...
Another attempts to stand up in the fiery grease... failing! Trying to avoid the flames as best it can...
Another (the commanded one) attempts to stand up in the fiery grease...[ooc]Reflex vs DC 14 succeeding! Trying to avoid the flames as best it can...
As the flames die out and the grease slick fades away, the two remaining skeletal champions destroy each other in a clash of rusty blades and charred bones! The adventurers are once again the victors over the undead minions of Nero Antichrist!
Having defeated the zombies and the six skeletal champions, the adventurers are free to explore the chamber the skeletal champions were guarding ...
This oddly-shaped, many-cornered chamber contains both else of interest except for the yellow crystal and brazier...
The yellow crystal blazes like a miniature star above the flaming brazier after Fox lights it with flint and steel from his tinderbox...
Out of thin air, the pale, clammy, bloodstained figure of young, arrogant Monsieur Du Berry appears at Arc’s right side, but is visible only to him...
Bravo, Monsieur Perdu! You and your companions are very formidable! Do you think your heroic deeds on behalf of the Church of Rome will wash away my blood from your hands, and the crimson stain on your soul and honor? Did you know that the gendarmes hound your poor mother and father daily, searching for their fugitive murderer son?
In the blink of an eye, the ghost vanishes...
Earlier, Arc brushed Boga's query aside, too stunned at the time to offer a coherent answer.
Now that the ghost returns, however, Arc is less taken aback than before, but still evidently upset. He muses over the question, at odds with himself for the time being. Then, when his tormentor vanishes once more, he mutters the following response: "One can hope."
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Even distracted, Lucius' practised eye can see that Arc is uncomfortable. He moves back down the line to fall in line with the frenchman and speaks quietly in Arc's own language.
"Does something trouble you, my son?" His voice is warm and kind, the voice of the beloved parish priest of childhood. "Tell me what troubles you, my friend."
Oblivious to Arc’s troubled spirit, Zagathoth checks his fingers then announces with a smile, ”two more.”
I wonder what happens when we light all of the lights... maybe the pope will give us more weapons... this sword is great...
Arc carefully considers the Cardinal's words. Lucius has proven himself to be a steadfast ally, but still...
"My sins weigh upon me, Father," he responds with a sad little smile. "Should we survive this journey, I may tell you my tale, and you may judge whether my soul can be saved."
Johann looks at the skeletons, to see if there is anything worth salvaging, and also searches about the room. "Surely there must be something of worth down here."
[dice=perception]d20+9
Amid the bones and skulls in the ossuary, Johann finds a yellow topaz of fine cut and water, and a golden bracelet inlaid with carnelian...
Returning to the central ossuary, the party can see a faint rainbow glow of red, orange, yellow, and blue light from the southern archway...
"If you'll permit me a look, Johann..."
"I'm afraid I just can't be sure about the topaz, but this bracelet...it's got to be worth something like 700 gold ducats!"
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"WE ARE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS, FRIENDS. I WAS WRONG ABOUT THIS TAKING ONE DAY, BUT MAYBE WE WILL HAVE EVERYTHING WRAPPED UP TONIGHT."
Still, Johann isn't quite sure he wants it to end so fast. While dangerous, being with his group is the most fun he's had in over a decade. And as the old rust wears off from his bones, he is starting to feel... different. Ol' da and ol' ma always said that they felt there was more to me than a half-bear. Like if I really concentrated, really focused...I could be more. Maybe they were right all along. I feel like there is something inside me, just waiting to break out.
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Arc carefully considers the Cardinal's words. Lucius has proven himself to be a steadfast ally, but still...
"My sins weigh upon me, Father," he responds with a sad little smile. "Should we survive this journey, I may tell you my tale, and you may judge whether my soul can be saved."
"All souls can be saved." Lucius responds kindly. "His love is endless and we are merely his instruments, I will gladly hear your confession once we emerge."
"So, there are perhaps two more jewels? Let us head north again first. I believe there is an area there that we have not investigated." Lucius suggests.
The adventurers advance up the northwest corridor some 20 feet to a rectangular ossuary with a 20-ft-high ceiling, and a dark archway in the far wall.
The smell of rodents is strong here...
A dozen rodents of unusual size are lounging about in this ossuary, gnawing at bones for the marrow... As the party enters, all of them look with beady red eyes that glow in the darkness at the adventurers and seem to freeze, as if in a panic!
Oh crabapples! It's those one guys the little runts were yapping about!
Oh Christ! Are they gonna kill us!?
If they killed all those stinky guys and bony guys, they're probably gonna whack us too!
We can't take on stinky guys like they can! That means they'd make grease spots outta us!
Run away!! Run away!! Into the gremlin tunnels!
The dozen talking dire rats dart off in different directions, each racing to a small, dark hole just large enough to accommodate the giant rats, and vanishing therein!
HAHAHA!! We TOLD yas about the fellas, didn’t we big timers!? Heheheh!
Look at the big shots now! Hahaha! Always bossing us little guys around... Ya ain’t so tuff against the fellas, are ya!
Yeahhhh!! Run home to your gremlin masters, ya big galoots! You guys suck!
Seconds later, the beady eyes of creatures that aren't dire rats, but are of similar size, peer out of the ratholes at the adventurers, a mix of fear and loathing on their bat-like faces...
There must be a dozen of them...