Fairly certain that the trap is disabled Calaithes carefully moves across the bridge. He continues searching though, concerned that there might be a follow-up trap? "Those statues were supposed to push anyone that tried to cross off of the bridge and to their death in the pits. They don't appear to animate and attack like the other...."
Once Cal gives the all-clear, Bohrs crosses the bridge to the doors, and invokes Caiden’s power to see beyond them.
Nicolette thinks that the damage to this room is most likely from the earth shake that Calaithes has referenced a few times, rather than a part of the trap. To her eyes, the damage looks relatively new--no more than a couple of months.
Calaithes gives the all-clear for Bohrs to come and check out the doors, satisfied that he has cleared the room of traps. Bohrs sees a vast room: the largest by far in the entirety of the crypt, and so large that he can't see everything from where he stands. The only light emanates from a torch mounted above he crypt, flickering with a pale golden fire. It must be the Everflame. Tall pillars march across the chamber, ending at a dais on the farside, on which is set a large stone sarcophagus. The lid of the sarcophagus has been removed and lies off to one side.
A single form rests beside the sarcophagus: that of a comely woman in tattered clothing. Bohrs sees her back rise and fall in shallow breaths--the only indication that she is alive, though most likely asleep or unconscious. If he didn't know any better, he thinks...that must be Roldare's sister: Dimira!
Kayle will move up to the door and prepare a light orison onto one of his magical stones. "If we're fine to go in I'll be in the front." he explains, "I'm ready to finish this."
"Alright, Kayle. You go first. Be careful..." she states with a bit of hesitancy. She doesn't know what he has planned. "The one who raised all of this and set them against us is likely in here. He may use the girl against us. One of our first moves should be to secure her if we can. Is there anything you can do to protect her guys?" She then forms a fist. "Let's talk strategy before entering. What do we have at our disposal?"
"I have one acid flask and two oil flasks if someone wants to use them."
”Before we go in, allow me to ask Cayden Cailean to bless our efforts,” Bohrs says.
"In the vision he was a skeletal warrior with a powerful weapon. Those stones that Kayle enchanted still have the power. We should be ready to use them as soon as we spot him. Bohrs can Bless us. I can add Guidance. Then we move in and destroy the thing before it gets a chance."
Kayle: 1d20 ⇒ 4
Bohrs: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Calaithes: 1d20 ⇒ 17
Nicolette: 1d20 ⇒ 15
Owens: 1d20 ⇒ 12
Even a high number can be used to juice it higher by taking the +2 rather than rerolling.
"I'll take point with sling and shield." Kayle reiterated, "Owens and Nicolette can come in behind me if we get into combat. That should keep you two safe to toss stones and use magic."[/b] With a nod Kayle gave one last rub atop Owens head and readied himself as magic was prepared.
Nicolette nods and pulls her sling off her belt.
"I will start with a ranged attack, and then when danger looms, I'll close in and take point as usual. Just keep in mind that he is guilty. Don't even let him talk. Roldare was clear he kidnapped his sister. We found innocents from various villages nearby dead and raised... and other despicable acts. If one of you wants to hold their ranged attacks for when he attempts to cast a spell, we might be better off distracting him. He is a spellcaster, I'd imagine with all of this power present, but I also imagine he's quite the warrior. And we still don't even know if the one responsible is in fact the same from your vision or the one who raised him."
When everyone is set, she will head inside allowing Kayle to take the lead. She begins to twirl her sling while her hammer is resting on her shoulder and held her other hand.
Calaithes casts Guidance on everyone before the door opens. The spell only lasts one minute or until used, but it might help in the initial attack....
He readies his sling with one of the magic stones.
The wide brass doors swing open on silent hinges to reveal the room as Bohrs had described it previously, lit with the pale golden fire. From Kayle's vantage at the front, he doesn't see anyone (or anything) the room other than Dimira, lying on the dais.
But as the doors open, a dry, mirthless laugh can be heard from the dark recesses of the tomb, echoing around and leaving no clear sense of where it's originating from.
"So, Kassen's heroes have come to fight me again. You will make fine minions in my army of the dead. Come: meet your fate." A wicked-looking skeleton that Calaithes recognizes from his vision strides into view. A cold blue flame burns in its empty eye sockets. Even those who did not see the half-elf's vision recognize the polished mail and cruel sword from the paintings of Asar elsewhere in the Crypt. Risen before you is the man who killed the town's founder: Asar Vergas.
Nicolette Initiative 14
Red & Blue Readied Actions
Four more skeletons emerge from around the pillars, two carrying longbows and two carrying scimitars. The ones with the longbows pull strings taut and let loose an arrow each in quick succession at Kayle and Owens in the doorway. One clangs off of a brass door, while Kayle swings his shield to knock the other off course. The ones with scimitars advance in front of their bow-wielding brethren and take a prepared stance, with their blades held in both hands above their heads.
Skeletons
Bohrs:
Kayle:
Owens:
Nicolette:
Asar
Calaithes:
Map
Active Buffs: Bless:
"Stay clear of them for now." Kayle remarks as he sets his sling spinning, "We have the advantage." He bids Owens to stay put defend with a measured shield hand. Then with an eye to one of the archers he looses his stone.
Seeing the hated undead, but following his command like a good dog Owens growls deep in his throat. The angriest sound he had made yet. This was not his previous barks or defensive warnings. He wanted to rip these evil things apart.
Nicolette does let Kayle go first before her as planned. She scoots in front of the growling dog with the purpose to unleash her bullet without hindrance.
The warrior lets go of her stone, but her distractions, having not weilded her sling in some time, and the threat in mind of the approaching skeletons all cause her bullet to go wide. While it (likely) misses, the power behind it is clear and makes a loud crack sound on the floor as she hits it.
She recognizes that the others will be upon her soon and instead readies her hammer for use instead of the sling.
"Why send your minions? Are you too weak to come out and face us yourself? If you've done this before to others, it's likely that they were so worn down by fighting your lame servants you had it easy! Perhaps you're just afraid to fight. No matter. We'll be with you shortly!"
Kayle's stone finds the skeleton he aims for, piercing through its chain shirt and clearly shattering ribs. And yet its grip on its scimitar does not change.
Nicolette's stone goes very wide, and the mirthless laugh reiterates.
"You are eager to die. Very well then; I'll usher you on your way."
Bohrs steps forward and touches Nicolette on the shoulder. "Cayden defend you," he intones.
Asar shifts his stance and unleashes a mighty bellow as he charges through the vanguard and up the stairs towards Nicolette. He raises his enormous sword over his head and brings it down towards Nicolette. Guided by Bohrs' well-timed spell, she steps out of the way as the blade leaves a not-inconsiderable crater on the ground. Asar lifts the sword up and glares at Nicolette with a mixture of hatred and bloodlust.
Skeletons
Bohrs:
Kayle:
Owens:
Nicolette:
Asar
Calaithes:
Map
Active Group Buffs:
Calaithes sees the terrifying image of the undead warrior attacking Nicolette. Afraid that they will be reliving her death he lets his sling hang and he focuses on protecting her from the monster's sword. She could crush the thing without help as long as she was alive!
The half-elf subtly twists the threads of fate in Nicolette's direction while the undead move to the attack. The bow-wielding skeletons have a clear shot at the druid, and so they send two arrows towards him. He manages to deflect one with his shield, but one pierces past, sticking into his thigh . Both of the skeletons with scimitars join Asar in charging up the stairs, one aiming at Nicolette and the other at Kayle. Calaithes' hex turns the scimitar coming for Nicolette away so that it clatters off of Bohrs' invisible shield, though it remains a close strike. As the final skeleton emerges to strike Kayle, it opens itself up to an attack from Nicolette.
Skeletons
Bohrs:
Kayle:
Owens:
Nicolette:
Asar
Calaithes:
Map
Active Group Buffs:
Bohrs moves over behind the status, and looks between them at the skeletal horde.
"May the Drunken Hero drop your bones at the Gray Lady's feet!" he intones, drawing upon divine energy to smite the undead horrors.
Bohrs dodges behind the statue to relative safety while raising his stein. The pulse of Cayden's energy ripples out from behind the statues. The nearest skeletons brace against the wave, but the furthest one (previously injured by Kayle's magic stone) crumbles to dust in the holy onslaught.
"Bah," Asar grunts as one of his foot soldiers withers away, and he blasphemes. "The Gray @#$% take you all."
Skeletons
Bohrs:
Kayle:
Owens:
Nicolette:
Asar
Calaithes:
Map
Active Group Buffs:
Nicolette is adept in combat, but not as well as she feels capable with the divine blessings on her. The craterous blow of Asar is a near miss, but she prepares her mind for the blood and guts that will come should he hit! Positive energy hangs over her like a protective cloud and thwarts her foes though, and in this moment, she takes the advantage. Her eyes narrow. The more they clamor about her, the more her senses grow in focus. One could say her reactions are more effective than should it have just been Asar!
As the scimitar-wielding skeleton tries to rush past her with confidence, with impressive speed, she uses her shoulder and body as a fulcrum point and closelines it with the corner of her hammer right in the neck. Bones explode and its body shatters and clatters down the stairway.
------------------------------
A moment later, she focuses on Asar who dared to charge at the Pale Hammer.
"You were a prick in life...now you are double one in death." she insults him without really any true reference to his behavior, whether he truly was or wasn't. She just hopes to knock him off balance in the mind.
With Asar's blade on the ground and his ally destroyed, she takes a step to set herself in a guarding stance and hammers him in the chest!
Kayle will untense as the onrushing skeleton is crumpled by Nicolette's hammer, and with that threat removed he considers his options. The arrows that came his way interrupted his thoughts. Raising his shield to block, the first impacted it with a heavy thump. The second sinks into his unguarded thigh, and he winces as he eases his weight onto his back foot.
"Rest, and be destroyed." he commands to Asar before adding something in druidic and waves his hand about with the sling wrapped around the back of his palm. It catches the air as his hand moves, a pronounced swoosh as it seems to drag powerfully through the air. There was some kind of energy gathering in the air about the druid in these brief motions. He lifted his wounded leg again, and brought all his weight down upon it to complete the spell. All the power that could be felt in the air dropped, and the floor shook as a shockwave came out toward Asar.
With the space beside Asar open, Kayle reached out and tapped Owens on the shoulder. "Get em." he commanded. His normal accent coming through in the excitement.
Owens wasn't going to let Nicolette face this nasty thing alone. She was his person too! At Kayle brief touch he was already leaping forward to snap at Asar with his powerful jaws.
AC 24, 28 vs AoO
Nicolette destroys the charging skeleton before it can do further injury to her druid friend. Then Kayle stomps his foot on the ground. Asar simply laughs as the ripple passes under his feet. Owens bravely leaps up to attack the undead warrior, but his snapping teeth are turned aside to no avail. Nicolette, however, ekes past Asar's defenses and hits him squarely in the chest. He curses in response to the injury, though his grip on his sword does not change. He swings his sword upward to try to cleave the Pale Hammer in two from the force alone, but the threads of fate yank and his sword swishes past her.
"Witchcraft," he seethes as his otherwise-certain attack misses. He takes a more defensive stance as he retreats down the stairs,
Skeletons
Bohrs:
Kayle:
Owens:
Nicolette:
Asar
Calaithes:
Map
Active Group Buffs:
Owens snaps his jaws at the retreating femurs of the skeletal Asar.
"Says the walking skeleton!" she mocks once more at his 'witchcraft' statement. "Running away I see."
She goes to bash him in his fleeing thighbone and to cripple him.
Asar deflects the blows of both Owens and Nicolette and scoffs at Nicolette's comments. "You talk too much," he says. "If you're so eager to die, then come and bleed."
Hearing the interplay Calaithes steps around Kayle and starts his sling whirling. He has no plan to use it though as he is worried about the damage that huge sword could do if it hit. "Witchcraft indeed. And what foul necromancy keeps you from your long deserved time in the grave? And now you run away from us? We'll end your allies first, then you!"
"Use your stone on him Kayle!"
Purple Move, Readied Action
Orange Move, Readied Action
Pink Double Move
Red-Blue Double Move
"It is not by my will nor my hand that I once again walk in this accursed place," Asar responds to Calaithes. "But I'll be damned again before I allow anymore theft."
The skeletons with the bows shuffle back around to take their best shots at the party. The arrow aimed at Nicolette twangs off its string, falling to the ground with no momentum, while the one coming towards Owens comes a little too close for comfort. The dog manages to just jump out of the way, but it's a near thing.
Then the party hears a great shuffling as of bone on stone as four more skeletal warriors wielding scimitars shuffle from the sides of the room and into view. They form a vanguard between the statues, ready to advance on the party.
Skeletons
Bohrs:
Kayle:
Owens:
Nicolette:
Asar
Calaithes:
Map
Active Group Buffs:
"Bohrs! If you crouch at the top of the stairs, they probably won't hit you. Do your thing!" she aks the cleric as she moves forward. Her movement isn't as far as Asar may have expected, as she is leaning on being more tactical vs the mindless hordes approaching them. It is just low enough on the stairs to hopefully not provide cover against her teammate's ranged attacks and if Bohrs crouches or goes prone, still enough to give him cover.
Bohrs moves up behind Nicolette and calls upon Cayden's might once again.
Nicolette advances somewhat while Bohrs moves around the statues and unleashes a wave of positive energy. The two easternmost skeletons flinch as the pulse passes over them, but the other three, including Asar, seem to shrug it off.
Calaithes hears Asar's statement and finally understands what probably happened. The other undead that they'd dealt with were tomb robbers. They must have activated some curse. They were idiots and their actions had killed so many....
"Theft? We aren't tomb robbers. You've already killed them. We're here for the annual ritual of the everlasting flame. There's a magical flame here and we are supposed to light a torch from it. That's all! It's.... Well, it's kind of a coming of age ceremony for a small group from our village. The damage to this crypt. The dead people. None of that was supposed to happen. The group that came before us? What did they steal? If we can find it we'll bring it back. This fight doesn't need to continue."
Kayle steps forward with Owens to keep in line with Nicolette. The last thing he wanted her was standing alone out front and being swarmed by the new skeletons.
"He's undead Cal!" Kayle calls, "He's just a monster now. Use your stones or pass them to me." With that said Kayle will take aim at one of the skeletons that resisted Bohrs.
Getting Owens into position he tries a different tack, giving the dog a soft command in druidic. He knows the pooch will at least defend himself this way.
Nicolette seems to be deep in thought for a moment at Cal's words. When Kayle represents his thoughts, she voices hers aloud so that he knows she too would support the cease in action. So far, she has pounded him hard and he has done nothing to her. Perhaps he fears true death by her threatening hand?
"I would hear him out, if and after we defeat these mindless creations! And only if he surrenders Roldare's sister."
Her voice, tone, and way it is said almost seems to counter the call to action of Kayle's. In a way showing Asar that it is not the entire party who desires his death at this new revelation by their half-elf friend and Asar's own words.
Asar stalks around, eyeing the party as they discuss amongst themselves what to do. "Yes, the girl told me of your rite, told me you'd come."
The bow-wielding skeletons flank out to the sides, while those with scimitars advance. Nicolette lashes out with her hammer, but the skeleton dodges her blow. Kayle lets another stone fly, but this one soars wide and shatters against one of the statues.
Asar disappears behind a pillar, but his voice continues to echo throughout the chamber. "They stole my amulet. They stole the key."
All at once, the arrows and blades of the enemy come, attacking as a unit, releasing the arrows first and then stepping up in turn in a flurry against the front line. The threads of fate continue to twist around Nicolette, as an arrow curves around her head and finds itself embedded instead in the far statue. She manages to catch one scimitar on her armor instead of her flesh, dodging the other completely. But Owens is unprepared for the arrow coming from his left, which embeds itself in the brave dog's side . When the blades fall his way, however, the dog ducks and weaves, avoiding further injury in spite of the pain.
Skeletons
Bohrs:
Kayle:
Owens:
Nicolette:
Calaithes:
Asar
Map
"Maybe talk when they aren't trying to kill us Nicolette!" Kayle angrily shouts as Owens is tagged by a blade, "Normally people don't get brought back when they die!" He bids Owens to attack anew as he reaches back his hand.
"Someone gimme er stone!" he adds.
If one of his allies hands him a spare magical stone he will quickly sling it at an enemy. If not, he will use a regular sling bullet.
Owens snarls at the skeleton in front of him and at the brief command he snaps his jaws right at the hip of the skeleton before him.
Calaithes holds his sling out toward Kayle with one of the stones. He keeps his focus on the battle in front of him and keeps the Protective Luck active on Nicolette.
"Amulet? Wait. There's a picture that shows you with the amulet, still on the chain. We can find the thieves and bring the amulet back. but where would the thieves have gone?"
"Call off your soldiers or we destroy them and you!"
Calaithes hands Kayle a loaded sling, and the druid whips an undead-killing stone towards the skeleton that just shot his dog. The stone seems to glow and speed up as it travels the distance. On impact, the bones are turned to dust within the chain shirt armor, a burst of light illuminating the eastern side of the chamber as the armor clatters noisily against the far sarcophagus.
Asar's dry laugh fills the chamber. "Yes, you will go find the thieves, wherever they went."
Owens snaps his jaws but is unable to get through the enemy's defenses.
Nicolette thrusts her hammer in the direction of the skeletons. The dry laugh causes her to grumble as such is not the behavior of someone who is trying to survive and perhaps seek restoration. He seems like he is slinking off to some hidden passage somewhere. At least he isn't heading toward the young girl.
She swings her hammer at the skeleton directly in front of her.
Bohrs steps forward, raises his tankard, and calls upon Cayden Cailean's might again.
Asar Move, Readied Action
Bohrs steps forward and unleashes another wave of energy. The skeleton directly in front of Owens crumbles to dust, while two more also quake as though in fear of the divine retribution on display. With a swing of her hammer, Nicolette shatters another into shards of bone and metal.
Asar continues stalking through the chamber, watching, observing. The remaining three skeletons seem to shift their focus, directing the majority of their ire at the cleric who seems so able to spell their doom. But although Calaithes has woven protections around Nicolette instead of Bohrs, the cleric seems to have his own luck, as he bats aside an arrow with his tankard and dodges out of the way of a scimitar. Owens similarly leaps away from a fell blade as the skeletons continue to advance, no longer able to surround them but no less furious in their assault. The bow-wielding skeleton withdraws back deeper into the chamber.
Skeletons
Bohrs:
Kayle:
Owens:
Nicolette:
Calaithes:
Asar
Map
Bohrs raises his tankard again. "Cayden's got your number, bony boys!"
The next wave of energy seems to knock the further skeleton off-balance, and you can see its cold red "eyes" flicker within its skull, but it remains standing, if only barely. The skeleton immediately next to (and just below) Bohrs seems scarcely affected.
"Back away from the girl, Asar, or we will attack. We are willing to hear you out, but if you take one more step, I'll take you down," she warns.
Her hammer swings toward the skeleton to her side.