The mounted skeleton pays little mind to Meadow's taunts and focusing attention on the forward gate and Kornel.
Elsewhere on the wall Mask Narsen does pay mind calling out with some shock and exasperation, "what do you mean 'you built?!'"
He doesn't have much time to press further as he and rest of the villagers are desperate to drive off the ominous rider. Braderock stammers out, "take down the beast! If we slow him he ... he might not be able to make his way in!" They launch all their remaining sling stones to try to halt the mount. While the attacks are not successful it is enough to deal serious injury to the skeletal horse.
Zabu
Brekovi
Shagrat
Kornel
Skeleton Soldiers
. green (14 damage)
. blue
. gray
. white
Meadow
Jayma
Skeleton Captain
. Captain (red)
. Skeletal Mount (black, 17 damage)
The skeletons begin to move forward toward the toward but slow as with a motion of the mounted undead. The commander directs attention toward the defenses and the skeletons draw bows and begin firing through the crenulation and barricade at the Pathfinders.
One arrow connects with the wall before Kornel and Brekovi's projectile swiftly dispatches the archer.
The next one lines a shot with the spellcaster Brekovi and manages a near critical blow in the process.
And the final arrow at Zabu is quickly lost and joins the scrap in the barricade.
Zabu
Brekovi
Shagrat
Kornel
Skeleton Soldiers
. blue (18 damage)
. gray
. white
Meadow
Jayma
Skeleton Captain
. Captain [red]
. Skeletal Mount [black] (17 damage)
|
Jayma watches the skeletons advancing, but they continue to stay out of her range. She stamps her foot in frustration. "Altum sanctus infernum! Why must they move so slowly?"
She decides that if the skeletons won't come to her, then she'll have to go to the skeletons. She moves along the battlements until she finds a clear space next to Kornel. "Don't mind me gentlemen, just passing through"
This time she selects a nice rounded rock not too far from the skeletons. With yet another flick of her wrist and a "stone strikes skeleton," the rock shoots towards the closest skeleton.
|
|
Zabu scowls as the skeletons don't breach the walls. He feels like it would be wrong to give up the defense of the fort but it feels even more wrong to see things to kill and not kill them.
When one gets close enough, he finally sighs and pulls out a javelin to fling at it.
It's not too hard after that to give in to his rage.
Jayma send another skeleton through another of the remaining skeletons, but Zabu isn't able to land a hit with the javelin to finish off the archers. The shards of bone similarly score no mark on silent skeletal troop.
Meadow lads two shots against the undead horse. However only the first manages any damage by exacerbating the wounds to the horror's front leg. It doesn't offer a moment of hesitation though as it charges forward at the direction of the rider.
The undead rider turns it's gaze from Kornel as he directs the mount into a gallop straight toward the broken gate. The rider hold a lance and drives it straight into the first defender Shagrat as he holds his shield ready for the counterblow.
Brekovi (5 damage)
Shagrat
Kornel
Skeleton Soldiers
. white
Meadow
Jayma
Zabu
Skeleton Captain
. Captain [red]
. Skeletal Mount [black] (23 damage)
The broom proceeds to swat at the skeletal horse. Unfortunately it isn’t very accurate.
Kornel's magic doesn't find as much success sundering the negative energy deep within the undead's bony shell. Still, the archer's body is frail and the power nearly causes it to crumple.
The mount and the rider hold up much better against the magic. Their bones rattle as the magic passes through them, but not much more. It does continue to add to the considerable damage the mount has already been dealt.
Brekovi's summoned broom doesn't manage any hits as of yet. Despite flanking with Shagrat, none of them manage to come close to landing a solid blow.
Brekovi (3 damage)
Shagrat (4 damage)
Kornel
Skeleton Soldier [white] (2 damage)
Meadow
Jayma
Zabu
Skeleton Captain
. Captain [red] (1 damage)
. Skeletal Mount [black] (24 damage)
Shagrat manages to land one solid blow on the undead horse and the blow is made even more certain with the aid from the summon on the opposite side. The blow is almost enough to bring down the best, but the splintering bones are barely holding together.
With bow in hand and half broken the skeleton looses a volley of arrows on source of the destructive power. One of the shots is deflected by the crenulations, but another lands and does a significant wound to Kornel.
Brekovi (3 damage)
Shagrat (4 damage)
Kornel (5 damage)
Skeleton Soldier [white] (2 damage)
Meadow
Jayma
Zabu
Skeleton Captain
. Captain [red] (1 damage)
. Skeletal Mount [black] (30 damage)
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Jayma looks down at the skeleton captain on his horse, but can't get a clear shot at the rider due to the intervening barricade and battlements. "Oh no you don't. You're not getting away from me that easily buster," she yells at the rider and runs back along the battlements to get a better angle on him. As she passes Kornel and Brekovi, she says, "Oops. Sorry boys, just passing through again."
Once on the higher battlements of the northwestern tower, she has an unobstructed view of the skeleton captain. "Much better. I don't think this gentleman has had a shower recently. Let's see if we can rectify that deficiency."
Closing her eyes, she makes a series of moves that look a lot like she's picking up a bucket of water. She then says loudly, "shower shoves shifty shmuck," and throws the contents of her invisible bucket at the mounted skeleton. Instantaneously, a powerful blast of pressurized water appears out of nowhere and shoots directly at the captain.
Zabu nearly throws down the mount, but even with the light frame the creature is agile is able to keep up with the jerking motion. Through the action he is unable to lock his jaws around the skeleton's bones.
The captain tries to hold off the waves of water with a shield, but it is a solid hit that drenches the undead. The armor and shield already show signs of rust and the barrage of water doesn't change it much.
|
Meadow ducks down below the wall and sneaks towards the gate before popping up and firing at the skeletal horse, hoping to catch it off guard.
+2 or +4 for cover or greater cover maybe.
extra damage on the first hit.
Unfortunately in her haste to take the shots she hits her bow on the wall and ruins her aim.
"Darn it! I missed. Silence get the skelly horse!
Silence lets out a loud battle cry before diving towards his target.
extra damage on the first hit.
While it is on the brink of destruction neither Meadow nor Silence are able to deliver the final finishing blow.
After managing a hold of the mount despite the blast of water, the skeletal warrior holds itself together as bones twist and strain under the pressure. It drives a lance into Zabu while guiding the undead mount to bring down both of it's hooves into gnome. Only the lance connects and the champion raises shield once more to hold onto the fraying bits of unlife.
Brekovi (3 damage)
Shagrat (4 damage)
Kornel (5 damage)
Skeleton Soldier [white] (2 damage)
Meadow
Jayma
Zabu (7 damage)
Skeleton Captain
. Captain [red] (16 damage)
. Skeletal Mount [black] (30 damage)
The broom tries to swat the horse. It is causing a lot of dust to be kicked up as it does so.
The skeletal leader is able to barely deflect Brekovi's projectile with it's shield, but the broom is able to sweep through the mount's legs. The skeletal horse collapses and all of the built up damage is released in one last explosion of bone.
The captain is able to avoid falling to the ground, but ends up using the shield to take most of the brunt against the bone shards.
The explosion is just enough to destroy the broom, causing wood splinters and bristles to join the debris in the area. Then they fade out as the broom returns to whatever magical closet it exists in.
Reeling from the bone barrage the skeleton leader is unable to avoid the lance of energy and takes the brunt of the energy as the disruptive power rips through the cracks within the skeleton. With a final crack and a flash of energy the skeletal leader joins it's mount as the broken bones launch across the doorway.
Brekovi (3 damage)
Shagrat (4 damage)
Kornel (5 damage)
Skeleton Soldier [white] (2 damage)
Meadow
. Silence (8 damage)
Jayma
Zabu
Skeleton Captain
. Captain [red] (32 damage)
. Skeletal Mount [black] (33 damage)
Shagrat completely avoids any damage from the skeletal explosion. All that is left is the remnants of the attacking forces that the villagers are rapidly dispatching.
Still, as the attack collapses around it, the skeletal archer produces no concern as it fires a volley of arrows at Kornel. None of the projectiles land a blow however.
Shagrat (4 damage)
Skeleton Soldier [white] (2 damage)
Meadow
. Silence (8 damage)
Jayma
Zabu (7 damage, Reflex Save vs Horse)
Brekovi (3 damage)
Shagrat (4 damage)
Kornel (5 damage)
|
|
Miraculously, given where he's positioned, Zabu avoids the entirety of the exploding horse skeleton.
Ragh! The jerk died before I could kill him!" he snarls, looking around for another target. There's only one left and he rushes at the target.
He barrels into the archer and snaps at whatever bone he can get his mouth on before slashing with his claws.
|
|
When the skeleton captain finally explodes in a shower of bone shards, Jayma jumps up and down with joy. "Take that you big bag of bones. That'll teach you to mess with us."
As the dust settles from the explosion, Jayma spots the lone remaining skeleton soldier. She points to him and says, "You're next boney boy."
She scampers back across the battlements to get the skeleton within range. As she dodges past Kornel and Brekovi yet again, she says, "Should be the last time gentlemen."
Once in position, she selects another nice rounded rock from the many choice specimens available outside the fort and with one last flick of her wrist, says "final fellow fulminates," and sends it flying at the skeleton.
Zabu manages to latch onto the remaining archer and in a swift crush destroys the skeleton as the shards right in Zabu's face.
Within moments there is a shout of joy from the villagers. Edgar runs across the battlements to tell the party, half out of breath, "we see more no undead attacking. I think the battle is over! Thank you!" He offers heavy handed hugs and hand shakes as and the other villagers are relieved by the end of the onslaught.
An accounting of the villagers show a few minor injuries, but nothing a week or bed rest might not fix.
Narsen himself presents himself very thankfully as he expounds, "you have more than proved your abilities here Pathfinders. I cannot overstate the hanks you have earned for your aid this day."
He waves his hands and directs it to all within hearing as he proclaims, "This will cement the relationship between Razmiran and the Pathfinder Society as the proves the rewards to be gained. I hope that this continues and grants many years of mutually beneficial cooperation."
He lets the people applaud and cheer for a minute before waving to dismiss them to rest and recover. In a lower voice he does press the question, "Meadow seemed to indicate a ... familiarity with the undead attackers. Do not worry, I don't believe for a moment you were in league with their plots, but do you know why they assailed this place?"
|
|
He lets the people applaud and cheer for a minute before waving to dismiss them to rest and recover. In a lower voice he does press the question, "Meadow seemed to indicate a ... familiarity with the undead attackers. Do not worry, I don't believe for a moment you were in league with their plots, but do you know why they assailed this place?"
"Oh! I do! At least I think I do."
Meadow runs and gets the letters and shows them to Mask Narsen.
"We found these love letters in a box in the walls. They seem to be written by whoever was responsible for building this keep in the first place. Look at what's written here and here."
I want this fortress to shimmer with the same luxurious blue of your eyes. Yet, despite the fortune use to raise it from the ground, I would trade it all away to be with you forever.
Those loathsome fools may have driven us out, but I do not care because I have you. You are the only one who has the same love of life that I do. I promised to take your hand beyond the grave and I never doubt it for a moment.
"Soo...I don't know for certain but it sure looks like whoever wrote these letters is a likely candidate for becoming undead. They probably don't like the fact that we're moving in."
|
"Heh. All's well that ends well," Kornel comments. "Excuse me for a moment..."
In the aftermath of the battle, after he's confirmed that the no one is in dire need of medical aid, Kornel wanders around the fort's exterior, examining the undead remains. He picks up bones and skulls, probes pieces of zombie flesh, and inspects the enemy's outfits and weaponry.
|
|
Brekovi works to make sure all the snares that were set are deactivated before the townsfolk start returning home. Filling in the pit trap will wait for another day.
Once things have settled down, he gives Mask Narsen the copy of the report prepared for him. “We thought you would like an update on how the construction went. It was very fortunate that you got us a stone mason, without her we wouldn’t have been able to do the repairs.”
He also spends a little time looking at the broken gate. I am really surprised how quickly they were able to break the gate. I think something needs to be done about it, but am not sure what. Maybe if we add metal reinforcement to the wooden gate and a much stronger crossbar to hold them shut? At least the frame held together.
|
|
Zabu stands panting on the field of battle for a few moments, hands curled into talons, eyes darting around for a target. When none appear, he gives out a victory roar that echoes off the walls of the keep.
Shifting back to his more normal form, he bends down and picks something up from the ground and starts picking his teeth with it.
As he passes Kornel, and seeing the man examining the undead, he flicks the small object to him. "Here you go," he says, as the bone fragment from the last skeleton flies between them.
"Well, that was entertaining. Think we'll see any more action here before we're replaced?" he asks when he gets back inside the fort, standing with arms akimbo and surveying their handiwork.
|
|
Jayma calls to Twyl, and he flies down from the top of the tower to rejoin her as she makes her way down off the battlements to the wild cheers of the villagers. She happily basks in their adulation. "You're too kind... It was nothing really... Just doing our jobs."
"Ah, that never gets old, really," she thinks, and feels a certain sense of satisfaction at having successfully completed yet another mission.
|
|
When the battle is over, Shagrat is glad that his companions have proven so capable.
Shagrat good Pathfinder now after first mission! He growing into powerful Runelord soon!
As they discuss handing the fort over to the Society, a thought occurs to Shagrat.
"What think everyone--these Razmir guys want Pathfinders in this fort to defend it against all these dead guys coming? Maybe that why they give us all this and tell us they help us? Maybe not just so we explore here."
Mask Narsen looks at the letters askew and addresses, "it would seem unusual that they would only now act after years of others holding it. Still in any case you seemed to hold it well against them."
Meadow rushes downstairs and finds the geckos fine, if a bit agitated by the sudden run of chaos.
Narsen doesn't pay much mind to the retreat as he turns to answer Zabu. "I am under the hope that the remainder of your stay will be far less dire than the last day. Still I would have thought that about when you were tasked here. In any case I'm certain those here will be happy to in your presence if something else ill came about."
**
Kornel looks over the remains of the invaders and finds that they are likely not native to the area. The designs on the armor and broken insignia point that this forces likely originated within the Gravelands. The zombies bodies show significant signs of water damage from days of immersion in liquid that helps confirm the idea as the most direct route from the Gravelands would be through Lake Encarthan.
Throughout the bodies Kornel finds signs of their creation that are unique to the methodologies of the Whispering Way rather than any other method of undead creation.
**
Mask Narsen goes through Brekovi's report as he quickly reviews it. He clearly seems to place trust in the Pathfinder efforts as he doesn't do much to question any of the efforts. However, on the matter of the shrine he notes, "It is good the power waned then. An active shine may have well drawn attention from the undead."
You have another week before your replacements arrive, but the time passes quickly, aside from any parties or events the Pathfinder group orchestrates. Repairs on the fort are quickly established with Mask Narsen offering that the restoration is the least the town could give.
Opinions on the party are not far different than prior to the attack of the undead, but even the Horgats treat the party with a fair amount of deference after the instrumental aid in protecting the town.
|
|
Over the next week, Jayma helps rebuild the main gate, but with thicker doors, stronger hinges and a heavier door beam. If she can find enough iron amongst all the dead undead, she will get Martin and Edgar to fashion it into metal plates and bolt them to the outside of the new gate.
Once their replacements arrive, Jayma will head back home to Absalom where she will once again attempt to convince one of the faculty at the Arcanamirium to sponsor her entry, as unfortunately, she cannot afford the rather steep tuition.
To pass the time and make a little coin before her next mission, she will perform on stage to the acclaim of her many adoring fans. With her natural ability and penchant for drama, this is something that she really enjoys.