Continuing his display of exemplary strength, discipline and mastery of the longbow, Bimbur shakes off the ensnaring plants with ease and dispatches another skeleton with a perfect headshot.
Maidie's glob of acid arcs over the tent and lands on the skeleton, hissing and spitting as it dissolves the undead thing from the top of its skull through it's torso. Bimbur's arrow strikes true, shattering another skeleton's skull like a brittle clay jug. The last is exploded by Betzolte's telekinetic fists before Moon and Casina can dismember it and well before it has a chance to attempt avenging its brethren. As the last of the bone fragments clatters on the stone, silence falls over the ravine.
A few moments later, Roldare lets out a scream as he drops Moon's mace and starts blabbering about angry bones and leering corpses.
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Betzolte tromps over to Roldare and grabs him at the sides and hold him firmly, grunting a bit at the effort as she's still wounded.
"Hey! Hey...breath...BREATHE for Torag's sake! It's over...we won," she says. "Nobody's dead."
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Betz's telekinetic strikes explode the skeleton beside Moon, showering her in a cloud of bone-dust and fragments. She stumbles from the cloud, hacking, and coated in fine layer of dust. "Dammit, Betz! My mouth was open! I'm tasting skeleton and pulling teeth from my hair."
Roldare stares at Betzolte, his eyes wide and wild. It's pretty clear that he's struggling to hang onto this sanity.
Betzolte ignores Moon's complaint for the moment.
"Roldare...Roldare...look at me an' breathe...in...and out...in...and out...You're safe now...danger's past."
She'd been around fierce tempers (including her own) long enough to know a few sure-fire tricks to calm down. Her mother, Morg, had taught her well.
"W-will M-maidie be alright," Meep manages to ask before Casina runs off and she loses consciousness again.
Grobradon shrugs, "If only we had potions and oh wait..." A bit dryly. He looks about, "Who's the worst hurt? I can heal you now if we're really wanting to spare all the potions."
He does not seem particularly concerned with Roldare, indeed, he shoots the guy a dirty look, but keeps his mouth shut otherwise regarding him.
"Dammit, Betz! My mouth was open! I'm tasting skeleton and pulling teeth from my hair."
Grobradon blinks at that, and quickly buries the less than gentlemanly thoughts that come to mind at the phrasing.
Betzolte's soothing words and instructions chip away at the madness clouding Roldare's mind. After a few moments, he's breathing deeply and seems to be calming down.
"D-dimira? W-wh-where's D-dimira? Where's my sister," he asks.
Gerol looks around and sees that the fights over. He calls up to Casina.
"Close the doors, an' be quick about it," he tells the paladin before looking at Maidie and Betzolte. "Alright, ladies, do ye have any kind of magic that can patch up these tents? It'd be a damn shame to go through all that and freeze to death."
The old warhorse begins to organize everyone and get the camp put back together. Searching around, you find little of note on the undead that came out. The zombies' gear, what there is of it, looks to be in better, or at least newer, condition than the skeletons.
You notice that the skeletons seemed to have worn uniforms. Their armor all bears the same insignia. The zombies are much more eclectic in their garb, appearing to be bandits.
The insignia is the one Asar Vergas used for his mercenary band.
8 broken chain shirts
8 shortswords
2 shortbows
1 longbow
1 masterwork longsword
1 heavy steel shield
1 breastplate
Enough tools to make up 1 set of Thieves tools
a total of 45 GP in various coins. Some much newer than others.
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Moon gestures to Gerol and a couple of her friends to ‘help her’ with the partially collapsed tent. Really, she just needs a moment to confer outside Roldare’s earshot since his calm is a fragile thing. As soon as they are out of Roldare’s eye-line, the ranger is all business with Gerol. ”We have a problem. Early in the fight with the ‘champion’, he taunted Maidie saying ‘Asar’ would like to meet her. I think he meant the Asar who killed and was killed by Ekat Kassen. I think an undead Asar may be roaming around that crypt and perhaps the champion was his servant.”
"I think Moon may be right. Asar Vergas was once a companion of Ekat Kassen. Our founding father died in 4535 AR, from a mortal wound after a bloody battle where he fought Asar, who was raiding the town for two months seeking revenge against Ekat. If Aser has indeed risen from his grave, he poses a serious threat to Kassen."
Betzolte's soothing words and instructions chip away at the madness clouding Roldare's mind. After a few moments, he's breathing deeply and seems to be calming down.
"D-dimira? W-wh-where's D-dimira? Where's my sister," he asks.
"Come with me, we'll find her together."
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The last skeleton exploded and Casina felt a mix of joy and sadness. Which meant she immediately felt a pang of guilt at feeling sad.
“Aw man…I was going to throw my axe at ‘im.”
Gerol looks around and sees that the fights over. He calls up to Casina.
"Close the doors, an' be quick about it," he tells the paladin before looking at Maidie and Betzolte.
Gerol’s common snapped Casina to attention and she did just that.
Dimira is indeed in the stables, soothing the horses' nerves. Roldare staggers over to her and wraps her up in a hug before sobbing in relief.
Casina closes the doors and finds the heavy oak timber that fits into the hooks on the outside of the door.
Gerol receives the news that it appears that Asar Vergas walks once more with a curse.
"Goblins and walking dead. We can't leave this mess to fester and we can't leave Kassen unaware about what's going on, either." he grumbles. He looks to the group that's proved their mettle and asks them, "What is it that you wish to do?"
Grobradon listens to moon and Maidie talk. He had notices the similar uniforms but it is Maidie who KNOWS what that means. He makes a mental note to pay attention when she speaks more than he might have in the past.
"Goblins and walking dead. We can't leave this mess to fester and we can't leave Kassen unaware about what's going on, either." he grumbles. He looks to the group that's proved their mettle and asks them, "What is it that you wish to do?"
"Seems like you should lead some who came here before us back to Kassen. Warn em... Those who are on the crypt quest have proven ourselves, we'll take the crypt. Not sure we have a choice. After we get a night of rest proper maybe." A thought "BImbur might go with you. He got good eyes and is a deadshot. "
"Agreed. If all we do is determine what threats exist, that will be useful. Maybe the champion was lying about Asar, knowing we are from Kassen. There is only one way to know for certain."
"You're right," Gerol says with a sigh. "At the very least we need to get Roldare out of the way. I knew the lad wasn't the bravest, but this whole mess has rattled his wits right out of him. Shoulda barred the door, but I didn't even think about it. Guess I've gone soft in my old age. I think Bimbur will have to make the call over whether he stays or goes."
Clearing the camp of rotting corpses and shattered bones takes the better part of an hour while Betzolte and Maidie work on patching up tents then clothing after potions have mended the wounds left by the undead assault. Sleep comes, but it is fitful and full of nightmares. Those that stand watch find their nerves wound tighter and tighter with each noise in the night, real or imagined. Dawn comes, pale and gray, and no fresh disaster visits the camp. Breakfast is hurried. Vark cooks while everyone else busily tears down the camp and readies the horses. As the last bites are eaten, Gerol gets the heroes' attention.
"As much as I hate doing this, Kassen needs to know what's going on, and Grobradon is right, you've proven yourselves to be capable and dependable. We can't leave this as it is, and if Asar walks again, I think the safe bet's on him attacking sooner or later. Find out what you can. Do what you can to slow whatever this is, but come back in one piece, ya hear?" He looks around until everyone has acknowledged his words. He nods and wishes you luck.
Bimbur steps forward and looks at the group with an apology in his eyes.
"Master Gerol," he says, "I cannot in good conscious let you face the perils alone. Please, allow me to help make sure that you return to Kassen safely."
"Well, Grobradon did mention that you might be joining us," Gerol replies. "I can't say that I wouldn't appreciate the extra eyes. Just be ready for a hard ride ahead."
Goodbyes and promises to see each other again are said and Gerol leads the group that arrived here before the Heroes of Kassen out of the gorge and back to Kassen.
The five heroes and one brave little goblin turn to face the Crypt of the Everflame and the dangers within.
Fully healed of her grevious injury, Maidie collapses into a dreamless sleep as soon as her head hits the bedroll.
When she wakes, she feeds Tanglefoot and checks her belongings carefully. She then finds a secluded spot and meticilously copies the scrolls from her gift into her spellbook and makes a new scroll of the color spray spell she had memorized.
As the group is leaving for Kassen, she approaches Gerol.
”I didn’t get a chance to thank you for the healing potion. When you get back home, will you pay a visit to my family? Don’t mention the arrows, just…tell them thank you for the letters and that I won’t let anything threaten Kassen. And tell Garth that I…that we all… understand now, what he was trying to tell us…he’ll know what I mean.”
"Yeah," Casina said as she stepped up beside Maidie. "And if you could take this stuff back with you, I would greatly appreciate it." She all but dropped the set of scale mail with, her greataxe, and her original gauntlet in Gerol's arms.
"I can't carry all of this with me and I don't feel safe leaving it all out here for someone to stumble across. So, if you could just drop it off at my aunt's house."
Betzolte ushers Roldare to Dimira.
"This fight really rattled him, he's gonna need you more'n ever right now," she tells the other girl before returning to the group and receive healing. She hears the news that these undead may have been conjured by Kassen's old enemy Asar Vergas, back from the dead, with a somber shake of her head.
"I honor Magrim as much as the next dwarf, but even I'd not give Kassen's last enemy a place in his tomb, even IF they'd been friends before. Have to wonder what the townsfolk of old were thinking when they made that decision," she says.
Once Meep's healed up, she gives the goblin a pat on the head.
"You were real brave there, Meep. Good job."
When asked to mend the tent she cut up, Betzolte grimaces and rubs the back of her head.
"Ah sh!t, I just reacted without thinking. I'm sorry! Grobradon, you still got that spell you used to fix the map handy? My big ol' sausage fingers aren't the best at darning clothes, much less tents!"
After helping reassemble the camp, Betzolte slides into her bedroll and it's not long before she's again snoring like a lumber mill, but tossing and turning.
Betzolte rises with the rest of the group, rubbing her eyes doing nothing to help the dark circles under her eyes after only half a night of fitful sleep. After breakfast is eaten and camp is packed, she girds herself in her new armor and picks up her new axe.
"Have a much better chance of staying in one piece wearing this!" she says with a smirk. "Not gonna be surprised by any damn arrows NOW!"
Then her expression falls a little.
"Of course, that's no reason to be cocky. Gerol's right, the threat to Kassen's very real. And maybe we'll find something in there left from the group led by that masked man Meep saw, figure out who they were and what in Runebarrow they were doing in there!"
She gives Bimbur a firm hug before he leads the other group away.
"Tell Mama and Papa I'm fine, and that their gifts will keep me safe so I can come back to thank them myself. And you stay safe yourself, Cousin!"
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After cleaning her sword and getting the last of the skeleton bits out of her hair, Moon crawls into her bedroll. Until sleep claims her, she tries to determine when exactly her dreamscape morphed into her waking encounter with Grobradon and how embarrassed she should feel.
Her sleep is dreamless (so far as she recalls) and restful… mostly because she didn’t catch another arrow through the lung. When she awakes, Moon expects that it will be a day of facing traps and undead. The upside is she’s reasonably confident they will be too busy for any awkward moments to happen between her and Grob.
You tried to drag him into your bedroll for a snuggle.
OK, somewhat confident…
You practically put his hand up your shirt, like a cheap 浮気女.
Slightly confident?
You called him 色男!
OK, Moon is praying hard for a non-awkward day. She quickly packs up her gear and emerges from the tent trying to look like a warrior focused on the job at hand.
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Grobradon sends a letter with Bimbur to please deliver to his mom with a request for Culver to read it to her.
It will have to be read to her
"Mother, by now you have heard word that we have found a lot more than a fair's cake walk, that angered goblins and undead alike are a danger to the village. We've found one Goblin who I should mention as she is more victim than villain, and she'll be helping us out. Don't worry, nature has a place for us all, what we do in the place we've got? That's where freewill comes in. I'll keep an eye out for her and ON her as needed while we pursue this danger with fangs bared. Not what you want. I know. But you did tell me not to be callous, and that means caring about not just you and me, but those others who live in the town. I may not like my uncle, but he doesn't (Probably) deserve to die. So we'll do what we have to keep home safe. I know Culver and others will be happy to help you so don't be too proud to ask for it. We'll be home soon as we can after we've done the heroicly acceptable level of violence to solve all problems."
At this point, he thought about mentioning Moon, who is quite on his mind now that the violence is over. His mother's last message TOLD him to see if one of the girls liked him. It made him wonder if his mother was praying REALLY hard to certain gods, either that, or was a covert hedge witch? But it wouldn't be fair to Moon to list her in a letter Culver would read. Mom might keep a secret? But Culver would possibly blab on this. Nope. Nope nope.
Instead the letter finishes "Your loving son, Grobradon. PS: Thank you and Treesong for the gifts and kind words. I shall put the former to good use. I shall hold the latter dear."
*********
It was not just a letter Grobradon worked on. Wood was not hard to find near here, even in the form of debris. Taking out his wood carving tools, during his time on watch, and in spare moment, he whittles and works... trying to form something small but multi pronged, and elegant.
He even asks Gozreh for a bit of help
Given a few hours, it is done, and it is quite lovely. Crafted from pale white wood with golden hued veins laced here and there, it appears to be a carving of a flower with five odd yet slender petals. Odd... in that Each petal is shaped akin to a crescent moon.
OK, Moon is praying hard for a non-awkward day. She quickly packs up her gear and emerges from the tent trying to look like a warrior focused on the job at hand.
Tell the gods your plan and they laugh, so some say. So just as Moon is hoping for a simple straight forward day. Grobradon lumbers towards her then hands her the flower, "Here." And then.. he keeps walking to see how others are doing and spare HIM any awkwardness.
Because he can be both a bit romantic, AND a jerk leaving all the awkwardness for her.
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Moon’s prayer for a non-awkward day goes unheeded as she stares at the carved flower in her hand. She’s afraid to look up to see how many of the girls from town saw the exchange and what whispers might be circulating already. She consoles herself by admiring the craftsmanship of the work, the details, and the petal design. She was never really sure if Grob felt anything for her, aside from some sense of kinship as another ‘half-breed’. He was such a still pond, she found him difficult to read. She smiles a little bit. This gift doesn't say ‘not interested’.
The problem was what to do with it? Throwing it away was out of the question. Packing it in a pouch (even for safe-keeping) might insult Grob, as if she was embarrassed. But she couldn’t carry it around in her hand all day or wear it like a damn corsage… Got it! She pulls the hashi, letting down her hair, then puts her mane back up, secured with Arnama’s gift – the mithril dragon and arrow barrette. She tucks the carved flower into the very top of the barrette, like a crown above the dragon’s fierce head – seen, somewhat subtle, and definitely protected.
If she had a mirror, she’d check to see how it looks… but her fingers’ impression of it would have to do. If the girls were going to tease her, let them. Her life was opening up in ways she hadn’t imagined a few days ago. She touches the flower to make sure it hasn't come loose and then quickly sets about her business, getting ready for the adventure ahead while trying to ignore any reactions.
Dimira nods her thanks to Betzolte as she moves past the dwarven wizard and goes to comfort her brother. Roldare whimpers a time or two through the night, but it appears his sister is able to help him keep a grip on his sanity. Despite the obvious dangers of goblins and undead, Gerol decides to take her place on watch.
Betzolte's question about burying Asar vergas in Ekat's tomb brings a sigh from Gerol.
"Knew not passing that down was a mistake," he grumbles before turning to face the dwarven wizard. "Two reasons. The first is because it was Ekat Kassen's last wish. He was from Lastwall, and many of the dead over the border in Ustalav do not rest easy, and the second reason was to try and keep them from walking about by laying Asar and his men to rest. The priest that took over the church when I was a young lad thought it was too upsetting, so he convinced the mayor at the time to stop passing it down to the young folk and the town was told to not mention it. It's only old geezers like me and Vark over there that even remember this. Everyone else in town is just too young."
When Betzolte tells Meep she was brave and did a good job, the little goblin sniffles and gives Betzolte as big of a hug as she can manage.
"Me-- I w-was m-mad. Talky bone-man hurt you and Maidie. Had to do something. Got hurt bad. Got nice dress Maidie made cut up. I try to help. I don't feel like I helped," she explains. It isn't hard to tell that Meep doesn't think she did enough.
While Betzolte helps Grobradon repair the tents, Meep goes around making sure everyone's okay, even Roldare who, after taking an elbow to his ribs from Dimira, manages to thank her for what she did. She spends a long time to clinging to Maidie and weeping into the young conjurer's shoulder.
After rebuilding the camp, watches are resumed as those not on watch fall back asleep. Thankfully, nothing more disturbs the camp for the night.
Camp is quickly broken down and packed away. Meep helps with cooking breakfast a simple affair of flat bread with hellfire stew. Dimira, noticing Meep's uneasiness around the horses, takes a moment to introduce her to them and show that they aren't all that scary once you get to know them. Meep even manages to work up the courage to pet one of them on the nose.
Gerol nearly topples when Casina all but shoves her old gear in his arm. He listens to her and the others as they relay messages that they want their loved ones to here.
"I'll be sure to let them know, especially Garth," he says with a nod to Maidie. "And I'll make sure this gets to your aunt, Casina."
Bimbur takes the letter from Grobradon and gives a solemn vow that he will see it delivered. He accepts the well-wishes from Betzolte and bows to her.
"Be safe, cousin. Irori teaches detachment from worldly wants, but I cannot help but want you to come back whole," he tells her before taking one of he quivers he has and handing it to Moon. "I believe that these will serve you better than they will me."
Much to Grobradon's and Moon's probable dismay, the druid's gift to the the half-elven ranger does not go unnoticed, and as everyone says their goodbyes, Anislee adjusts Moon's new hair ornament to better sit in her hair. She smiles and winks at the ranger before hugging her and whispering in her ear.
"You look lovely. Good luck with him," she tells the ranger before letting go and climbing up on one of the horses. Gerol leads them out of the gorge and onto the path back to Kassen as the heroes finish getting ready.
The heavy stone doors stand closed before the heroes, the thick oaken beam still holding them closed. The sun peaks down into the gorge, but most of it is in shadow. A chill wind blows through as they prepare themselves to face what lies beyond. The beam is lifted out of place and doors swing open with nary a whisper. Beyond the doors is a darkened hall with bas-relief carvings of Ekat Kassen kneeling before an altar with an antler bow across the front and a flame dancing above it. Above the doorway leading further in, an inscription reads, "Those who seek community, hearth, home, and shelter be welcome. Those who seek power, treasure, and ruin, be gone."
As you look closer at the stonework, you see similarities to the work used to build the forge in your father's smithy.
Further in, is a vast, domed chamber with four large alcoves branching off from four of the sides and a set of closed double doors. The dim lighting makes it difficult to make out, but it appears there are frescoes on all of the walls. The archways that open up into the alcoves are carved to look like trees with their branches holding up the ceiling.
[BeHead, BMGS1, BMGS2, Undig1]
[BMGS1]
[BeHead, BMGS1, BMGS2, Undig1]
[BeHead, BMGS1, BMGS2, Undig1]
[BMGS1, BMGS2]
[BeHead, BMGS1, BMGS2, Undig1]
[BMGS 1]
You hear something shuffling from your right.
You hear something shuffling from your right.
You see something wriggling as it moves out of line of sight to your right.
You hear something clink from your left.
You see something floating in the shadows near the apex of the ceiling.
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Moon takes the arrows with a nod of thanks.
Anislee adjusts Moon's new hair ornament to better sit in her hair. She smiles and winks at the ranger before hugging her and whispering in her ear.
"You look lovely. Good luck with him," she tells the ranger before letting go and climbing up on one of the horses.
Moon is initially confused by the other woman’s attention to her hair, then she unconsciously stiffens as her meaning becomes clear. She hugs Anislee back when it penetrates the half-elf’s thick skull that the clockmaker is truly wishing her well. When she gets back to town, Moon decides to make an effort to befriend her… then thinks Wait… Luck? Why would I need luck? That question would have to wait until she sees Anislee again.
~ Minutes Later ~
Looking at the door to the crypt, Moon is all business. ”I have a second bow, if anyone would like to use it… along with some arrows.”
The ranger was expecting trouble, just not as soon as they walked in the door. Well, that didn’t take long. She raises a fist to catch her allies’ attention. She raises two fingers and points to the right, raises one finger and points left, then (with one finger still up) points straight ahead toward the ceiling. She readies her blade and moves to face the threats on the right.
Arrows (20): xx
Blunts (18):
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Looking at the door to the crypt, Moon is all business. ”I have a second bow, if anyone would like to use it… along with some arrows.”
Casina snorted. “You can just pass that along to someone else. You know those puppet shows that the town puts on for the kids sometimes? You ever see the one where the dimwitted ogre tries to get the elf with the elf’s own bow and arrow but somehow sends the bow flying at the elf and holds onto the arrow? Yeah, I nearly did that once.”
The heavy stone doors…
…The archways that open up into the alcoves are carved to look like trees with their branches holding up the ceiling.
Only a few steps in and Casina heard something shuffling off to her right. She was just about to mention it to the others when Moon gestured in several directions.
“Way more than I heard,” Casina thought. She gave a quick nod and stepped up beside Meep.
As Casina steps up a floating head descends from it's hiding place at the top of the ceiling. It is rotting, and its milky eyes do not focus on anything as it hovers about five feet off the ground.
"My Lord bids thee welcome, false heroes," it says in a deep, raspy voice. "He is willing to show mercy if thou will join him in conquering this land."
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"No. We will accept your Lord's surrender. The Gods' justice will be delivered to him swiftly." She glances at Casina - as the likely deliverer of said justice.
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Maidie listens intently as Gerol explains about the truth about Asar Vergas and how he and his mercenaries came to be buried in the crypt.
”Mistake or not, something has obviously disrupted the rest of those buried here. Those men bear Asar’s mark, and the talking skeleton mentioned his name. Those fresher corpses might have something to do with that, perhaps they came here as graverobbers and did something to trigger all of this. Or maybe they are just random victims. Who knows?”
She pulls out paper, pens and ink from her pack.
”One thing is certain, though. If we are going in there tomorrow, we need to know as much about the crypt as possible. Most of you have been on the quest before. Tell us everything, every detail you remember, no matter how trivial. The layout of the chambers and hallways, if there are any secret doors or hidden chambers, who is buried where and so on. Sketch out a map, if you can.”
Holding the distraught goblin close, Maidie gently strokes Meeps head and speaks to her the most soothing tone she can muster.
”You did great and you were very brave, Meep. I know it must have hurt very badly when that mean bone-man cut you with his sword. It hurt a lot when I got shot too. But we have powerful healing magic that can close our wounds and take the pain away.” Maidie says, running a gentle fingertip along the almost invisible scar left by the skeletal champion’s sword and then touching her own round ring of scar tissue just over her heart.
”We all did what we could, and we were all scared. My brother used to say that anyone that says they are not scared during a battle is either a lunatic or a liar. Being brave is not a question of not being afraid, it is about being afraid and doing the right thing anyways.“
She gently pulls Meep away from her and looks the goblin straight in the eyes.
”And tomorrow, we have to be brave again, because there are more nasty monsters hiding inside the crypt and if we don’t go in there to stop them, they will come out and try to hurt us again. Us and everyone we care about. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to, but I hope you do. We need your help.” she says in a serious voice. Then she smiles.
”Now, let’s go get Grobradon to fix your dress. I did not give you one of my best woolen shirts just to have some sword-swinging bully cut it to ribbons.”
Immediately before the group opens the door, Maidie casts mage armor on herself.
”Everyone actually wearing armor and having all their weapons and gear is going to be a novel experience if we get into a fight.” she says dryly.
Then she casts another spell, this time summoning a translucent, almost invisible shape before her. She picks up a small rocks and casts a cantrip, causing the stone to glow like a torch.
When the doors open, she holds out the rock for the servant to take.
”Servant, hold this stone and advance 40 ft in front of me until instructed otherwise.” she commands her conjured creation. Then she slides her vial of acid out from her belt, gripping it tightly with white knuckles.
When the floating skull appears, she tenses up, determined not to let her fight-or-flight instinct win. Resisting the urge to either hurl a glob of acid at the thing or flee after the departed group, she instead joins the others in addressing the undead thing.
”Another herald of Asar the undead, I presume. Where is your Master hiding, abomination? Is he such a coward that he fears to come and face us himself!?” She says, sounding much more defiant than she really feels.
Grobradon enters after the others...
mmmm he mutters "Something shuffling from the right. Saw something move out of sight... went to the right I think as well? Heard something clink to the left... and we got a floater in the shadows at the ceiling."
Looks like the others are handling the talking, better than he can, so he focuses on warning his peers.
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Entering the Crypt:
Betzolte holds her axe in one hand and A Father's Love in the other.
"הנחה את צעדיי."
At her command, the blade begins glowing again as she holds it up to illuminate things for the others.
As they approach the entrance, she narrows her eyes a bit at the stonework.
"Looks...oddly familiar," she says. Then her eyes widen. "Looks a little like Papa's forge! Maybe there was more to what Gerol was saying...Previous generations of Ironhames helping build Kassen into what she is today..."
She smiles at the thought.
Seeing Maidie conjure a moving light, she sheepishly sheathes A Father's Love.
"No sense having both hands full if we get in a fight. Gonna need at least one casting hand."
When they encounter the mouthy floating head, Betzolte spits to the side dismissively as she raises her axe to a ready position.
"False heroes, my arse! We are sons and daughters of Kassen, true of heart and strong of arm! As evidenced by your little vanguard returned to the grave by OUR hand! Fie on your master and fie on you!"
Gerol and Vark nod as Maidie mentions getting a map. The two of them sketch out a crude one on a scrap of parchment.
Meep, takes a look at the zombies and shakes her head.
"Clothes rotten. Can't tell if they are the ones I saw," she says.
Meep nods as she listens to Betzolte and Maidie. She seems to feel a little better after the two mages comfort her. She give Grobradon a hug after he mends the shirt turned dress. She finds sleep quickly after that, still clearly tired from getting little sleep the night before.
Asar's herald scoffs as the Heroes of Kassen rebuff his master's offer.
"My Lord has more important things to occupy his time with than dispatching thee," the floating, bodyless, herald says. Rattling bones and sickening slurping noises come from both sides of the doorway as two disgusting and foul smelling oozes and two small skeletons with skulls like a cross between a wolf and a goblin come to greet the Heroes of Kassen.
Casina responds by introducing most of them to her axe. The two skeletons are scattered across the floor and one of the oozes, the one no one noticed, leaps with terrible timing into the blade of her axe as it finishes with the goblins. The smell is vile, of vomit, feces, and death.
Moon's blow is almost despondent in comparison as she shatters the skull of one of the already dispatched skeletons in mid-air.
Asar's herald watches, mouth agape and eyes agog, as Casina neatly spoils the ambush. The remaining ooze wriggles menacingly, but there is no denying that the heroes have the upper hand.
Maidie would like to know more about the chamber with a pool of cool water and two trees called the Respite of the Valiant. The name indicates some sort of healing effect.
Making sure to stay behind the heavy hitters, Maidie steps inside the crypt doors and sends an enhanced glob of acid towards the remaining ooze.
Following it's instructions blindly, the unseen servant also advances, staying the proscribed distance ahead of Maidie.
She then attempts to recall what she knows about these particular types of undead.
The ooze dodges out of the way of Maidie's spell. As she watches the small blob of foul smelling jelly wiggle, she plumbs her memory for any knowledge she might have about this disgusting creature. The smell of bile reminds you of the bestiary of unusual undead that you ran across one afternoon while Holgast was, probably, napping. The small skeletons weren't in the book, but the floating head and the oozes were.
The oozes are, well is and was, known as undigested. From that bestiary:
Undigested are the animate slurry of the indigestible parts of a humanoid creature. They come into being when a giant beast that swallowed its prey alive is slain by unspeakable necromantic arts. A primal shard of the beast’s sentience is ripped from it during the agonizing moments of its death, animating the gelatinous humanoid remains within its stomach into an ooze-like undead creature which hungers to inflict its digestive fate upon others. If the beast was digesting multiple creatures, this phenomenon results in undigested swarms instead. Undigested—implacable ambush predators—slop, ooze, and undulate through the dark places of the world in search of sustenance.
As you quickly study both the surviving ooze and the remains of the one that Casina splattered all over the floor, you see what appear to be partially digested goblin skulls.
The other surviving undead is called a beheaded. Again, your memory brings up the relevant entry:
A beheaded is a severed head or skull animated as a mindless undead sentinel that silently floats at eye level as it lies in wait for living prey or is sent out into the lands of the living to terrorize everyone it finds. A beheaded set loose near populated areas thumps ominously against shut doors and windows, biding its time until someone responds to the incessant knocking. The beheaded then assaults this victim. Beheaded also guard grim crypts, abattoirs, and hideouts of murders who like to keep reminders of their past sins close at hand. Beheaded come in many varieties, usually based on the creature the head came from. A beheaded prefers to float at head height so it can more easily attack the face, neck, and shoulders of its victim.
This one seems a little unusual in that it talks, but there was nothing you recall in the bestiary that implies that they couldn't just that they didn't.
The skeletons appear to be only a little larger than Meep, implying they are goblins, but the wolfish skulls are puzzling. In any case, what they were is academic since Casina pretty thoroughly demolished them.
"We did sleep in there after Derick set off the trap, but I don't know if there was anything special about it or if the spell Fror cast on him just took a little while to do it's work. She's always been the kind of person that just moves at whatever pace suits her," Anislee says.
Gerol, Vark, and Timolt aren't able to say if there is anything more to it, besides the trees growing underneath the ground, than it being a peaceful and serene place within the tomb.
Beheaded
Immunities: mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms); bleed; death effects; disease; paralysis; poison; sleep effects; stunning; and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
Weakest Save: Fort Save, Other two saves are the same.
Undigested
Immunities: acid resistance 5; precision damage (i.e. critical hits); mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms); bleed; death effects; disease; paralysis; poison; sleep effects; stunning; and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
Weakest Save: Fort Save, Other two saves are the same.
Moon drops into a crouch and delivers a horizontal slash trying to cut down two of the enemy at once.
TEMP AC:16 due to Cleave
Arrows (20): xx
Blunts (18):
Moon leans around the doorway and splatters the last of the undigested oozes.
“Would you shut up already?” Not waiting for a response, Casina charged forward and put her full weight behind a big swing.
The floating head slides to the side of Casina's powerful blow.
"I am Asar's voice to all of Golarion! I shall not be silenced!"
Grobradon lets his sling slip into his hand and then flings the stone at the head, hoping to get a lucky hit.
"I am Asar's voice to all of Golarion! I shall not be silenced!"
"I'll pay you a silver if you do."
Moon glances at the wreckage of the talking head's retinue. "I wouldn't bet on that. Meep, put an arrow in his eye-socket."
Grobradon's stone shatters the head's skull and it drops to the floor with a sickening squelch.
Meep looks up at Moon after the druid ends the fight and asks, "Still want arr-- an arrow in its eye?"
”No, Meep. Why don’t you help Moon search the four chambers to make sure there are no more nasty surprises lurking in the shadows. Betzolte, perhaps you should help too, since you have a keen eye for unusual stonework. There might be hidden passages.”
”Servant, remain in your current position for now.
Meep looks up at Moon after the druid ends the fight and asks, "Still want arr-- an arrow in its eye?"
For a brief moment, Moon looks like she is seriously considering the question, ”Nah, he looks dead enough, don’t you think?” She offers the goblin a smile, ”As soon as a live enemy is dead, we stop. Maybe Lugruk would do things to the dead… we are better than him. Maidie's idea is pretty good. Let’s look around the room.” Moon listens at the large double-doors first then makes a slow clockwise circle of the alcoves.
Meep's face scrunches up in an adorable frown as she looks at the half-smashed head.
"He look dead before," she observes, "He still move."
She does try to help with looking around, but Meep finds herself overwhelmed by what she sees. The carvings and paintings in this chamber and the alcoves are beautiful to the little goblin who's never seen anything like it, and now that she ahs time to appreciate it, she can't seem to stop gawking.
Of course, she then has something else to distract her.
"I think these Bloodmoon goblins," she says as she squats to get a closer look at the sole intact skull from the skeletons.
Moon, meanwhile, finds nothing waiting to ambush them nor does she hear anything beyond the door, though she gets the feeling that the chamber beyond the doors is huge. She does find signs of previous habitation in the main chamber and the alcoves, mainly soot stains in the shallow dip in the center of the large chamber and the hearths in the alcoves. Carved beds provide a place for bedrolls near where the fires would be. There's also places for storage. Each of the Alcoves looks like they can hold four to six people. All in all, it looks to be a rather cozy set up.
"Well, he's not moving now, so he is real dead. Who are the Bloodmoon goblins?"
Grobradon actually listens to Maidie's commentary about undead, and most especially the comments on what might hurt them "...to shreds you say?Mmm"
Grobradon glances at the broken head, which he did indeed shut up. "And I'm kind of proud of that shot. Lucky as it was."