"Trapfinding? And your already amazing stealth? Adrian, do you think we should let her go first and check for traps?"
Zaraleva hugs the wall, pointing the crossbow at the water, (readying) remembering the skeleton prints leading into the pond at Goblin Massacre Manor. (Perhaps not remembering that crossbow bolts aren't the best thing against the )
"Hm. I don't think skeletons or the goblins would think that far ahead. I can keep watch for whatever comes our way and then she can disable it."
Adrian moves along the way to where another opening is seen.
Caine warily wonders into the bigger cavern behind Adrian. The Magus takes a closer look at the skeleton, lazing about.
He doesn't notice anything beyond the obvious....
"Hmm." Aiko is suspicious. She checks for bony footprints, to see if tracks lead back toward the unattended skeletal forms.
"Hmm. No tracks on these skeletons, but there are tracks heading around the bend. Something bony is animated here," she says suspiciously. She keeps her nunchaku tucked under her arm and sneaks to the bend and peeks around it.
(Speaking softly) "Why do they have armor, but not weapons? Why do I have Detect Magic and not Detect Undead?"
She casts Detect Magic and starts scanning the skeleton closest to her.
"It could mean they're not animated, but we can't be too caution on these things." he replied.
Well, it appears that whatever magic animated them has been spent. Let's clear the remaining caverns and make camp.
"That sounds like a good idea," he nodded before making his way into the next tunnel.
Caine continues the circuit.
Zaraleva continues trying to detect magic and faces the skeleton, sword, and chest.
She...ummmm...skipped Geography class that day. She had a note, though. Really.
"I don't like the look of that skeleton." Adrian whispered. "Does anyone want to check if it's still animated?"
Aiko approaches cautiously. "That is a very distinctive chest," she says. "And the sword looks a bit like mine."
Caine doesn't recognize the weapon; although
That is a sweet looking sword!
The Magus will cast Detect Magic. He looks out from the entrance to the cavern.
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As Aiko approaches the skeleton when she gets within a large creature's reach the skeleton animates and jumps from the chest.
It rushes towards Aiko and screams
"I Tsutamu, challenge ye Aiko, to a battle to the death"
Tsutamu swings its wakizashi at Aiko
Tsutamu claws at Aiko with its free hand
which Aiko dodges as she winces from the pain from the sword slicing into her abdomen.
Caine only has eyes for the sword.
"Umm... how did it know your name?" he asked Aiko looking confused.
Aiko twists away as best she can but she's in the thick of the fight now.
"I don't know!" she hisses to Adrian. "I've never met him before, I don't know a lot of talking skeletons!"
She shouts back at the skeleton in the Minkaian language.
While trying to keep her guard up, Aiko seems to be involved in some kind of heated conversation with the skeleton.
"Caine, don't let it get me..." she whispers.
"Hey ugly! Over here! Have some Sarenrae's Delight!"
Will save for half, DC 12
She then takes a step back so Adrian can get in there.
to suggest blunt weapons.
"Use blunt weapons to break his bones!"
Round 1
Caine hears the language of his Mother. The young Magus seems a bit surprised to hear it coming from such a creature.
Is it weird that it speaks Minkaian?
The Magus speaks to it.
He then stops when the positive energies of Zaraleva wash over the creature.
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As the positive energy flows over Tsutamu it screams
Tsutamu pauses at Caine's words but they do not seem to sway it. It continues its attack on Aiko.
Aiko ducks the wakizashi swing as she pleads her case
It seems to reconsider its claw attack and instead speaks
Everyone is up.
Aiko continues to plead with the skeleton cautiously. Her expressions range from confused to eager as she tries to get the skeleton to explain what all of this is about.
Adrian swiftly moved over the ninja's side in order to strike... only to blink when she didn't attack.
"Umm... should we attack the skeleton or not."
"It knows the Kaijitsu family—Ameiko's family. I am trying to discern how this is all connected."
He slowly pulled down his fists... then decided to try another tactic... attempting to go behind the skeleton and wrap his arms around its waist.
Caine sighs.
He holds his hands up, walks closer to the guardian, and speaks again.
"Ugh. Am I the only one that doesn't speak skeleton? What is happening?"
Caine backs away from the guardian.
He wants to meet Ameiko. Apparently, they are kin.
Aiko seems wary.
"I... it could be a trap, an attempt to bring Ameiko here to kill her. But..."
She thinks a moment, looking over to the jade-and-red chest.
"If it were undead intent on revenge, why not simply seek her out and try to kill her? Certainly it was able to leave the cave and terrorize the goblins. I feel like... there is something going on here that we don't understand."
Aiko slowly puts away her nunchaku and raises her empty hands.
"What? Bring her? No...it's a monstrosity, a perversion of life. We have to destroy it... Sarenrae would want it..." She falters at that point.
DM, whenever you say it's ok turn-wise, Zaraleva will channel to heal the living when Aiko and Caine are in range.
Aiko says, "It is... a guardian." She purses her lips, then says:
His eyes open wide in amazement at the revelation. So much so that he didn't realize Zaraleva was using healing magic. He take Aiko's word to heart and back away.
"Could you ask that thing why?"