Christian motions for all to stop as he tries to see what Brand was looking at.
I can not tell anything at all in these tunnels.
He looks to the animals within the group.
Maybe there is something here that we can not detect...An scent perhaps?
Syretia peers over the shoulders of Brandt and Christian, curious about what they're doing but not wanting to break their concentration.
"Let me take a look." Orlog stows his weapon and get down on one knee. He studies the floor for a moment. Once done, he stands once again and take his weapon out. "You are right, something did pass here."
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Looking further into the tunnels, and peering down both directions, Brandt calls to Fenrir,
He's just a pup, but a big pup, lets see if he can't help us here.
Brandt and Christian's tracking skills were honed in the forest and on the plains; thus, their skills are found wanting down here, at least for now. On the other hand, Orlog and Mr. Pink prove quite adept at discerning trails left upon tunnel floors, identifying two sets of tracks at this intersection.
Large hoof prints can be picked out among the loose dirt along the stone tiles, and you easily mark them as belonging to one of the beastmen you fought before. The size and gait are the same. There are several sets of such tracks, with the freshest being only hours old. Orlog and Mr. Pink also note that there are no sign of such tracks ever turning down the side passage.
The second set of tracks belong to a medium humanoid wearing light shoes or perhaps sandals. They turn down the side passage, and they are not as recent as the beastman's tracks.
When he sniffs down the passage straight ahead, Fenrir pins his ears back and his lips curl to reveal his teeth. Whatever his keen nose picks out of the subterranean air wafting from ahead, not only does he not like it, but it overrides any possible competing scents from the side passage.
Christian looks from one path to another.
Well let us deal with the threat we know of...If one of those creatures came this way, we should deal with that first. We should follow that path and find it.
Syretia nods, looking down the corridor. "That makes sense to me."
Orlog lets the Tengu get a small lead, then follows. He tries to stealthy, but with his armor and his lack of training, he wonders if it worth the effort. He does make sure however, that the rest of the group stays behind him.
The ground increasingly crunches underfoot as the party progresses, moving carefully in their avian scouts' wake. You realize that not only is there more dirt upon the stone floor but also splinters and fragments of bone.
Moving ahead cautiously, you discover this is an understatement.
You stand at the entrance to an old ossuary. The walls, supporting columns, and even the domed ceiling are lined with skulls and bones. More broad skulls with singular eye sockets stand out immediately, but these are accompanied by far more numerous human-sized skulls.
You pause your examination at the entrance, though. Something about the walls and ceiling cradling the lintel-bound entrance leaves you suspicious, but you can't quite be certain.
Bydar follows, his polearm at the ready to back a front line fighter up if need be.
A sudden, thunderous crash fills the tunnel as part of the passage ahead, where Mr. Pink was scouting, collapses.
An avalanche of bone, dirt, and stone crashes down.
Christian's voice rings with authority as he tries to react to the situation.
shit...cover mr. pink and be ready for a possible counter.
Syretia yelps as the loud crash reverberates down the corridor. "Mister Pink!? Are you all right?"
Hearing the thunderous crash and Lord Christian's order, Brandt springs into action, running down the hallway to the scene of Mr. Pink's mishap, Fenrir in stride with the tall Ulfen.
Mr. Pink, we're coming to you! Brandt calls as he moves down the hallway with his bow in hand and an arrow loosely gripped against the bowstave.
"Right away" He nods to Christian. Bydar moves forward almost sure the poor fellow and his bird might be crushed. He casts a light spell on the glaive to see better should they have to dig him out of rubble. "Pretty sure the element of surprise is gone and we need more light to see."
You arrive to find Mr. Pink quite unhurt, his quick reflexes sparing him from the tunnel's collapse. The passage is not blocked, but it is now choked with dirt, bones, and stones that will present something of an obstacle to cross.
Beyond the heap of debris and rubble, you can see a large, domed chamber filled with skulls and bones. You stand at the entrance to an old ossuary. The walls, supporting columns, and even the domed ceiling are lined with skulls and bones. More broad skulls with singular eye sockets stand out immediately, but these are accompanied by far more numerous human-sized skulls.
Syretia hustles after the others, and, once she arrives, looks all around at the piles of bones and other debris with wide eyes. After a moment, she begins sweeping the area, looking for any magical auras.
The rubble and bones around the mouth of the ossuary are nearly knee deep, and it takes difficult steps to pick your way through. Heaps of stone and bone lie at the foot of the irregular walls, but Syretia spots no magical auras among them. No valuables can be seen, likely long ago stolen by the beastmen or stashed in the already claimed treasury.
A rough passage, less refined than the others you have traveled previously, branches off on the lefthand wall of the chamber.
Brandt draws another arrow, saying Go ahead lads, I'll cover you from here. placing the second arrow between his teeth, he waits for his companions to advance into the room, his eyes scanning for any emerging threat to pepper with arrows.
With no immediate danger visible, Syretia tentatively steps forward to stand next to Mister Pink. Reaching toward him, she whispers "This will only work for a few minutes, but I suspect that's more than you need. Please be careful." As soon as her hand makes contact with the tengu, he vanishes from view.
Before Mr.Pink move out to scout the room, Orlog gives the Tengu a slap on the back. "Good to see you are still in one piece." When he vanish from sight, Orlog carefully makes his way across the rubble.
Nodding his thanks for the nimbleness of Mr Pink.
Christian moves up beside Orlog and scans the room.
Bydar's eyes widen as the already stealthy Mr. Pink vanishes then a smile.
Christian can hear the muffled heavy breathing lurking beyond the skull-studded column at the center of the ossuary, and the avian scouts can see the last of the beastmen lying in wait on the far side. It waits for prey, hopefully left bewildered by the collapse trap, to come closer. However, it appears unaware of Mr. Pink or Mr. Black's approach.
Christian slowly pulls forth his weapon, nudging Orlog and pointing towards the general location of the noise coming from the other side of the center column. He turns to make sure everyone else around him also gets the location of the creature.
Silently nodding in response to Christian's indication Brandt slowly follows Orlogg and Christian when they advance, his eyes keenly on the column, waiting for something to reveal itself. Fenrir tags along just behind Brandt, fur rising across his back, but remaining silent for now.
Syretia steps back to the rear of the formation and listens closely for any approaching threats.
Orlog nods at Christian. Looking a the cavern, he points at himself and then at the right of the column, the wave at the group and points at the left of it. After, he actives at protection blessing and make his way toward the column.
Nodding at Orlog as he moves on towards the right side, Christian leads on toward the left. Crouching low and hoping to use the terrain to his advantage, the mercenary leader steadies himself for combat.
Bydar stays slightly in front of Syretia. THe light on his pole arm makes him reluctant to risk the others efforts
Not only does Mr. Pink sneak through the rubble and bones with enough quiet grace to creep up right behind the beastman, but even Orlog escapes the lurking foe's notice. Instead, the furry brute keeps his focus directed in the opposite direction.
Thus, hearing the crunch of shards beneath the boots of Christian and Brandt, the beastman leaps out and swings a large, crude hammer at the nobleman - who easily evades the potentially devastating blow.
Brandt quickly fires two arrows into the approach giant beastman,
Disgusted by his attacks missing Brandt discards his bow and steps into the Giant, his Ulfen axe appearing in his hands as if by magic. As he closes, he barks a command to Fenrir in their native language, who follows him a step behind.
The large wolfhound closes the distance and bites at the giant, also missing the large creature...
As soon as the monster reveals itself and swings at Lord D'Elegante, Syretia rushes forward. Scrambling over the rubble, she begins the invocation for one of her favorite spells, one she's used many times to prank her fellow students. She stands atop the pile of bone and stone and points a finger directly at the beastman. "Fall!"
Christian steps under the swing and in close to the creature.
Wow that was close. Keep him pinned on me as the others deal with it.
Ok, Mr.Ugly come and play with me.
Well, no point in hiding now it seems And Bydar races forward closing the gap. He cannot aid this time, but he should be able to assist with his glaive the next.
The large, shaggy brute maintains a solid footing upon the bone-strewn floor, and his cloven feet do not slide out upon the magical grease. Worse still, he turns aside the first volley of blows directed at him with a swing of his hammer and broad arms.
Raising his weapon, he delivers a pair of strikes. The first, aimed at Christian, is easily evaded, but the second follow-up lands square in Brandt's stomach - nearly knocking the wind out of him.
Frustrated at the beastman's refusal to trip over his own feet, Syretia sends a ball of packed ice flying at him with a flick of her wrist.
Brandt takes half a step backwards from the massive impact, and then brings his hands together in a massive chop against the beast.
+2?
Fenrir bites again at the hulking brute, missing again the giant cloven hoof.
+flanking?
Orlog rushes to join the fight. "Don't forget about me!"
Orlog pray to his Torag to guide his hammer. He then shifts his position slightly and take a swing at the creature. Sadly his aim isn't good enough to injure the creature. "Ah come on Torag, give me a break here!"
Bydar now positions himself, and uses the reach of his glaive to try to confound the beast man. "From behind your right side" He informs Christian remembering the warriors earlier suggestions on coordinating as best he could.
Christian is able to step aside of the clumsy attack but hears the grunt as the weapon comes across and connects with Brand. A look of concern shows on his face as he looks over at his companion but it is soon replaced with relief as the large man continues to fight. As the fight brings all his companions into the view, Christian looks for his opening. Hearing the words from Bydar brings a smile to his face.
Behind, right side
As the glave comes down from his right side towards the large creature, Christian dips his right shoulder and bring his blade up under his companions attack. Following the glave's path, he aims just above the beast's belt on his left side and snaps his hips and shoulders...forcing all that energy through his body and into the weapon to add more strength behind the attack.
The beastman, the last of his degenerate tribe, never stood a chance against the onslaught visited upon him. In addition to the volley of blows, both magical and mundane, delivered by the rest of the party, Mr. Pink brings the foe to its knees by striking key tendons along its rear haunches. This brings him into the perfect position for Christian to decapitate the beastman with one mighty stroke of his glaive.
The horned, cyclopean head rolls across the bone shard-strewn floor of the ossuary and comes to rest against the central column. Its body slumps where it once stood, and the heavy head of its hammer thuds heavily upon the stone.
As your breathing subsides, the excitement of battle slowly fading from your pulse and muscles, the ossuary becomes quiet again.