Peren moves a little ways in front of the group, then slides into the shadows. He keeps his bow out and ready as he moves towards the old house. As he moves he stays aware of his surroundings.
Stealth:
Perception:
Peren leads the party to the Haunted House, and it seems much as you left it.
The party heads down into the cellar and immediately notices that the corpse (with the Rot Grubs) is missing.
"Well, that's unnerving, isn't it? Either someone removed it or we have an undead problem now."
Kirian has a quick look around for clues, but probably doesn't find any.
"Sure is... perhaps they are trying to make us look like fools. We should check if they cleared all of the evidence," Habbi draws his mace, just in case.
Rolen pouts slightly, I wanted that armor.
The elf hefts hid shield in front of him and keeps his sword ready. Moving to lead on if the others are okay with it.
"Lead on, Rol," Habbi unslings his shield as well, "I'll be right behind you."
"We'll need to check the hidden doors for traps as well. If someone came back to clean up they may have left presents behind."
"I'll check the door", Perren says as he reaches into his pack and removes a small rolled-up package containing a number of very interesting tools.
Perception:
Kirian investigates the room and finds no trace of the corpse, the wizard also notices that someone has taken the supplies that were stashed here.
Peren checks the door and its unlocked, however it IS barred from this side and the wooden bar appears to have been in place for a while.
"Why would they bother barring the door if they were leaving anyway, unless they're keeping something in there from getting out?"
Kirian plants his ear against the door to listen.
"I can't really hear anything, but if we open that door, we should assume attack positions."
Carric places an arrow to his bow, flanks the door and nods.
Perrin waits for everyone to take their place and be ready for...well..whatever might be within. With a nod he quietly removes the bar, then throws the door open.
Peren opens the door and
This room is dark. Light from the large room behind you spills faintly to show that the room is only about 12' across, but to your left there is only darkness. What little you can see is dingy and dirty.
Carric notices several boney figures shambling around the room, they turn to face the opened door with claws outstretched!
Round 1
Carric
Skeletons
Kirian
Peren
Rolen
Habbi
"This is fantastic! Finally something in this house that isn't giant vermin!" Kirian exclaims excitedly, and, inappropriately.
"Habbi, are you any good at turning undead?"
Kirian lobs a fire bolt at the nearest skeleton.
And in his excitement he forgets to actually aim.
Habbi smiles at Kirian, "I think so, but I have never tried!"
He raises his shield and mace, "In the name of Al'Asran, begone!"
Carric fires at the foremost creature.
Round 1
Carric fires at a Skeleton, he misses.
Skeletons
Three skeletons converge on Peren, clawing at him! +4 they shred into Peren, Peren falls under their assault.
Kirian *posted actions
Peren [DST!]
Rolen
Habbi *posted actions
Round 2
Carric
Skeletons
Kirian
Peren
Rolen
Habbi
Habbi will also utter a healing word as a bonus action!
"Peren, my friend, get up!"
Peren scrambles quick to his feet and swipes at the skeleton right in front of him, then swiftly disengages and move back from the mass of undead.
Attack-melee:
Damage:
Kirian hurls fire at the nearest skeleton, missing.
Rolen steps over the fallen Peren and attacks a skeleton hitting for
Habbi turns undead -1 all of the skeletons except one are turned! Habbi heals Peren!
Peren hops up, swipes and disengages.
Round 2
Carric disengages and backs away.
Skeletons all run except blue who attacks Rolen missing.
Kirian
Peren
Rolen
Habbi
Round 3
Carric
Skeletons
Kirian
Peren
Rolen
Habbi
Kirian throws another fire bolt at the skeleton that attacked Rolen.
Carric moves up to q15 and fires at the skeleton on his companion, Rolen.
Not wanting to get up close and personal with the skeletons again, Peren puts his sword away and takes out his shortbow. He backs up to get a better line of fire on the creatures as they come out the door.
"Huzzah! Take them out, one by one, boys!" Habbi moves in and swipes with his mace!
Round 2
Carric disengages and backs away.
Skeletons all run except blue who attacks Rolen missing.
Kirian hurls inaccurate fire.
Peren scurries away!
Rolen whacks blue, and then its just a crap shoot after that.
Habbi
Round 3
Carric
Skeletons
Kirian
Peren
Rolen
Habbi
Combat Over, XP gained 50*6=300/5= 60XP each
The room lay silent and still.
When the dust settles, Kirian starts tapping around the room with his quarterstaff and examining things.
"Why keep skeletons in here? Did the smugglers bring them here to unleash on intruders? Something else?"
Peren also examines the now quiet room...sorting through all the bones to see if anything of worth might be found.
Perception:
This room looks like it hasn't been opened in decades. Whomever put the skeletons here, it probably wasn't the smugglers.
Ok, then, should we dig a little deeper into this mystery?
Rolen spits, Necromancers. They are insane! To cll forth such life that is not life. Perhaps there is a treasure here or a secret to protect. Or maybe they kept the bones here like tools to be pulled from a cabinet when the time was right.
Kirian taps at the walls, floor and ceiling with his staff, looking for secret doors.
"There's got to be something else here."
Has the office and the barracks been thoroughly cleared? How about the secret door to the cavern system?
Peren, can you use your skills to see what you can discern from the locked door. Be careful of traps, friend?
"Indeed I can friend Carric. Now lets see what we can see...and I do hope it is not more skeletons!"
Perception:
Unlock:
"Hmm..a little more complex than I thought! Lets see if this will work!"
retry unlock:
"Hah!" Habbi laughs at his friend's joke, then looks at the skeletons at his feet, "I may not be able to call upon Al'Asran so quickly to aid us if there are more."
"If the smugglers didn't put these undead creatures here, then likely it was the Alchemist. Must be something back there indeed if he'd resort to such dark magics to protect it."
"Take your time, Peren. It could be great treasures or unspeakable horrors waiting behind that door."
Peren pops open a lock, a foul chemical odor drifts into the room as he opens the door.
The secret door opens towards you to reveal, piled on the floor of this room, a clutter of old and broken glass and earthenware. There are three small copper pots amidst the debris and these appear to be intact. A bench runs down the west wall of what was obviously a laboratory. On the bench are various jars of powders and liquids and several pieces of chemical apparatus, some stained in different colors as the liquids they contained dried up long ago. There is a table against the south wall, forming an i-shape with the bench. In the chair before the table sits a human figure with its back to you, apparently studying a book which is open on the table. The figure wears a robe, embroidered with a variety of mystic symbols, and a pointed hat.
On the table is a candlestick, a tiny stump of unlit candle remaining in it, and a variety of other items which, even in the dim light, shine with the warmth of pure gold. One of these objects looks like a human skull.
Assuming, of course that the body does not move, Habbi begins preparing a ritual to detect magic outside of the room while letting it air out.
"Be careful, friends, that may be poison. Best to let it clear..."
Kirian tries to contain his excitement at the find, and instead assists Habbi with the detect magic ritual.
"Let me help you out Habbi. Best not to get ahead of ourselves until we know what we're dealing with here."