Action 1: Stride
Action 2-3: Electric Arc
Elena walks up to the doorway, weaving a spell. Sigils of evocation magic appear as she completes the spell, and seconds later a bolt of electricity launches from her finger. It strikes where one of the bodies resides before launching to the other!
Elena tries to bounce some electricity between the two, but only the boxed in body takes any damage.
Round 1:
Floating ghostly skulls: ATK!
Elena: Arc
Talborel: Go
Carrufikus: DU
Peldur: Miss
Bibi: Hit
Noroc: Hit
Blue: 27
Talborel smiles at Carrifikus' admonition. Yet another thing trying to get in the way get in the way of the cycle. It's all the same.
He hunts, marking blue as his prey. Tal then works to recall knowledge about these things, some snippet of lore that will tell him what these things are and how they can be dispatched from this plane of existence.
He then draws and sinks a cloth-yard-shaft into the corpse being flanked by his companions.
Shortbow:, Damage on Hit:
Talborel levels his concentration. He can't think of what these things are, but he knows it can't be good. His arrow is off target too to make matters worse.
The largely uninjured corpsesteps with an awkward gait to try and slam its fists into Peldur:
for
MISS
The animated corpse of the thief opens his rotting mouth. A sickly blue beam of light erupts from his distended mouth and jellied eyes. It washes over Bibi, Noroc, Carrufikus, and Elena!
Round 2:
Floating ghostly skulls: ATK!
Elena: Go + FORT
Talborel: Go
Carrufikus: Go + FORT
Peldur: Go
Bibi: Go + FORT
Noroc: Go + FORT
Blue: 27
Carrufikus attempts to remain strong despite the painful sickly blue beams of light.
Although he feels the sickening feeling of fright swelling up within, he hangs on to his lucky dice and casts Electric Arc on the White and Blue undead.
The necromantic power bolsters the corpse!
Carrufikus comes right back with magic of his own:
Fail!
Total dodge
Harming the body which brought forth the light
Round 2:
Floating ghostly skulls: ATK!
Elena: Go + FORT
Talborel: Go
Carrufikus: Arc
Peldur: Go
Bibi: Go + FORT
Noroc: Go + FORT
Blue: 29
Religion: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Bibi clamps down her teeth against the necromantic intrusion, becoming only slightly drained by it. She then goes house on the beastie, trying to bring it down.
HERO POINT REROLL
I'd like to konw whether this takes the creature down before I commit to a 3rd action...
Action 1-3: Magic Missile
Elena winces as the negative energy washes over her. Her hand shakes, but she nevertheless works her way through the various forms to conjure three missiles of pure force. With a gesture, she sends them pounding into the flanked foe.
Bibi resists the worst of it, and then thrusts recklessly with her rapier. The first thrust is wildly off target, but she gets lucky with the second. It's more than the body can withstand and it drops. The blue skull stays up though. It's considerably dimmer than before, but floating just overhead!
A second later, Elena's magic missiles strike it, and the creature winks out of existance for all time!
Round 2:
Floating ghostly skulls: ATK!
Elena: MM
Talborel: Go
Carrufikus: Arc
Peldur: Go
Bibi: 1 Action
Noroc: Go + FORT
Bibi then scoots over to flank the last corpse with Peldur.
As Bibi engages with the final corpse, Peldur strikes out with a rapid series of rakes.
Bibi moves to a better position and Peldur tries to capitalize on it. Unfortunately, it's not enough of a distraction to allow the brawler's fists to connect.
Round 2:
Floating ghostly skulls: ATK!
Elena: MM
Talborel: Go
Carrufikus: Arc
Peldur: Miss
Bibi: Thiefy
Noroc: Go + FORT
Noroc's knees literally knock together. What am I doing here?!? I must be out of my mind...
His hands shaking, he tries to take advantage of Peldur's position and hacks at the animated corpse between them.
He then gives Peldur a bit of guidance.
Talborel strides into the room and takes the corner, drawing and firing as he does.
Vs. Blue:, damage on hit:
Vs. Blue:
His hands shaking, he tries to take advantage of Peldur's position and hacks at the animated corpse between them.
Bibi blinks at the telling strike. A very PALPABLE hit!!!
Noroc takes the necromantic light hard, but manages to get a massive hit in.
Talborel steps in and misses. His first arrow coming within a hair's breadth. The remaining creature steps around and savagely attacks Bibi with teeth and exposed finger bones:
for
for
Bibi succumbs to the wounds!
Round 3:
Claimed Body: Attack
Elena: Go
Talborel: Go
Carrufikus: Go
Peldur: Go
Bibi: Flat check
Noroc: Go
White: 18
Condition: dying 1
HP -1
<--BAZINGA: now Dying 0; wounded 1
Bibi wakes up almost as soon as she drops. Her weapon is on the floor, as is she, but she's alive!
Round 3:
Claimed Body: Attack
Elena: Go
Talborel: Go
Carrufikus: HEal and Guide
Peldur: Go
Noroc: Go
Bibi: Go
White: 18
Peldur circles around the skull to flank it with Bibi. He strikes out with a series of punches, then slides away.
Peldur's attacks are right on as the body takes a beating. Some flesh actually comes back with Peldur's returning claw strikes.
Round 3:
Claimed Body: Attack
Elena: Go
Talborel: Go
Carrufikus: Heal and Guide
Peldur: Hits
Noroc: Go
Bibi: Go
White: 30
Noroc musters all of his courage and advances on the remaining creature. Swallowing hard, he settles in behind Bibi's prone body, relieved to see her eyes pop open, and tries to slice the undead thing apart.
His grip on his walking stick is tenuous at best, and his wild swings are unsuccessful.
Bibi's eyes flutter open, nearly an instant after having shut! She grabs the dropped rapier , stands up and, lacking a flank and thus not able to do a sneak attack, backs off a bit to reposition , ready to try to flank with Peldur or Noroc.
Noroc's follow ups aren't any good, but it gives Bibi a chance to stand up.
Round 3:
Claimed Body: Attack
Elena: Go
Talborel: Go
Carrufikus: Heal and Guide
Peldur: Hits
Noroc: Miss
Bibi: Up!
White: 30
Tal fires again...
Shortbow:, damage on hit:
Shortbow:
And tries his very best to recall knowledge again.
Action 1: Recall Knowledge (w/Dubious Knowledge)
Action 2-3: Produce Flame
Elena takes a moment to think. I've read something about this, I'm sure. Maybe it was in Kreigton's Spectral Wonders?
Regardless, she weaves her own magic. Sigils of evocation appear before her as a small ball of flame appears in her hand. Taking aim, she carefully hurls the ball at the remaining mobile corpse.
Elena knows that these are corpselights, a type of wisp. She also remembers that they can only truly be killed when not in a body. She got lucky last time, but if there are other bodies in the room once this one is destroyed, the party will have to act fast.
She hurls her flame, but misses. Talobrel also remembers something about bodily possession. Noroc's blade was, by far ,the most successful. It seems the wisps can only animate the corpses as they are; a cut muscle stops it from moving.
Talborel's arrow wings the body! It's enough to drop the body, with the wisp ejected. It quickly flies north, looking for something
Round 4:
Claimed Body: MOVE
Elena: Go
Talborel: Go
Carrufikus: Go
Peldur: Go
Noroc: Go
Bibi: Go
Wisp: 1
Free: Drain Bonded Item
Action 1-3: Magic Missile
With the ghostly form flying north, Elena swears. It's clear she's learned at least a few words from sailors in her life. She then slams the butt of her staff on the ground, causing a surge of stored arcane power to flow into her.
"Oh no you don't," she says, repeating the gestures to launch three arcane bolts of force at the corpselight!
Recall Knowledge... Uh, can I ask a specific question? +4 for Religion, +7 for Occult. Specific Question is: Can these spirits be harmed by physical weapons such as blades and arrows?
Then I'll fire two more shots.
Shortbow:
Shortbow:
Two misses.
Carrufikus moves up and casts Disrupt Undead upon the wisp. A ray of positive energy blasts out the faithful's hands and lances the ghostly form.
◈ Move
◈◈ Cast Disrupt Undead
Peldur rushes after the spirit and punches it good!
Peldur then slips away again.
Noroc follows after Carrufikus and sends a spear of positive energy from his hand at the apparition.
Elena's missiles fly forth and destroy the glowing skull before it can find a new body!
Carrufikus moves to a safe corner of the room and opens up his healer's kit. "Okay, I'm ready for each of you. Talborel, you first. Come on over and let me treat your wounds. Bibi, you are next."
Healing Talborel
Healing Bibi
Is that everyone healed up? Tal can also treat wounds.
Tal beings a thorough search of this chapel, being appropriately respectful. I'm not looking to deface anything. At least not yet.
Bibi sits stoically as Carrufikus takes care of the injuries. She grasps her now-bandaged biceps, gives a slow nod, and looks seriously at the gnome. That's a GOOD field dressing.
She takes a deep breath, then puffs out the exhale. Wow. No wonder Uncle Bofus told me to hide behind the daichinis. That...was a little scary! Now, I'll still poke things in their soft spots, for sure, but I'm going to try to be more careful. At least, until I can get a little dodgier!!
Carrufikus identifies that there's magic on the dead thief whose hand was stuck prying open a secret door.
Talborel looks behind the altar, and finds that there were a few more bodies for the corpselight. These are FAR more decayed, leaving little of note behind, though one does have a gold tooth and the other has a necklace with a nugget of polished tektite, trapped in a cage of braided wire hanging from a silken cord.
Initiative assumes Talborel is Scouting
Detect Magic (A: +1 (U), N: +7 (T), O: +1 (U) , R: +7 (T))
Scout
It is very nice, and Carrufikus confirms that it's giving off a magical aura. The body also still holds two vials, each magical.
Tal takes the tooth, prying it out with a dagger. He also takes the necklace and examines it.
He'll cast Detect Magic.
Elena moves up to Bibi while Carrufikus spies magic on the corpse. "That is an unusually nice weapon, Bibi. It's possible that there's preservative magic sustaining it. May I?"
She takes the weapon from the halfling and then begins an incantation to find the presence of magic and what school may be there. The process itself takes about a minute.
Should she find magic within the rapier, she'll study it further.
Talborel confirms that the necklace is magical. He estimates that the gold tooth is worth about 5 gold coins.
Elena examines the rapier and determines that it's a
"Wow. No wonder Uncle Bofus told me to hide behind the daichinis. That...was a little scary! Now, I'll still poke things in their soft spots, for sure, but I'm going to try to be more careful. At least, until I can get a little dodgier!!
"Yes, you always want to be careful, but I'm not sure how you can be dodgier than you already are. I look at you out there and you are all grace and nimbleness. Anyway, you should be all patched up for the time being. Just don't scratch at the bandages."
You won't be needing this, and you won't be needing this. Thank you, Gentles. I hope you're faring better wherever you are. LADY ELENA... This necklace is enchanted. Can you read the spellwork woven into it?
Finishing her study of the rapier, she hands it back over to Bibi. "As I suspected. There's magic imbued within it. It'll keep the rust off, but will also help guide your hand. The magic itself is foundational, but that does allow for other enchantments to be imbued. I'm studying that process, so when time permits I can perhaps do more. For now, enjoy that very fine weapon."
Hearing her name, Elena walks over to Talborel. "I can certainly try," she says, taking the necklace from him. "Tektite? Well, that's noteworthy. Maybe there are specific threads of magic that will tell me its purpose..."
Talborel carefully observes Elena's work and considers his own theory:
Arcana (Identify Magic):
The halfling whistles. Anyone mind if I keep this, since it *is* my weapon of choice? I'll hand it over if someone else would get better use...
You should, Noroc says to Bibi. This poor soul won't be needing it any longer.
He pokes around near the secret door to see whether he can discern how to open it.