Cordelia moves to striek alongside Baga. Her swing is just as good but the mace's head seems far more effective against the bony target.
Near the water's edge the archer moves down the shore before firing an arrow back at Tux. It pins the catfolk's chest badly, causing him to crumple!
for
The undead archer then shifts slightly to shoot at Ebren, causing the mage to spill out some blood on the ground.
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The other skeleton in the fray drops its bow to...die.
Initiative
Ebren 12/16 HP
Popcorn
An angry Popcorn's furious strike proves too much for the archer. Though the flames licking the weapon don't seem to harm it the force of the mace itself causes it to crumbles down, bones spilling out on the ground.
Initiative
Ebren 12/16 HP
Ebren moves to send a burning strike down on the glaive'd undead. He succeeds only at starting to burn away a bit of the brush.
In response to the attacks agaisnt it the skeleton lashes back at Cordelia and her mace.
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It badly cuts the rogue, but as the blade starts to dig into her the greenery around you both shifts. Blades of grass and...wheat(?) surge and grow out of nowhere to push at the weapon and blunt the full force of the glaive from bearing down on Cordelia. The strange spectacle also twists the skeleton's positioning just enough that Baga sees an opening and is able to land his own retaliatory strike - though again the cutting blow leaves only a minimal mark.
The 'bluie' skeleton then takes a Step back and adjusts his glaive in his hand, looking around and on guard against those who would advance on it. Meanwhile the other undead just keeps shooting at the divine cleric that keeps channeling holy power.
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Initiative
Ahzeem 32/38 HP
Cordelia 6/18 HP
Tux 0/17 HP, prone, dying 2
Ebren 12/16 HP
Popcorn
Baga
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Ahzeem calls out in dismay as Tux falls and pleads..."Oh Great Goddess Sarenrae, hear your humble servant's plea and heal his companion," He then casts a spell, pointing to Tux. Finally he re-casts Shield upon himself.
You channel vital energy to heal the living or damage the undead. If the target is a willing living creature, you restore 1d8 Hit Points. If the target is undead, you deal that amount of vitality damage to it, and it gets a basic Fortitude save. The number of actions you spend when Casting this Spell determines its targets, range, area, and other parameters. one-action: The spell has a range of touch.
two-actions: The spell has a range of 30 feet. If you're healing a living creature, increase the Hit Points restored by 8.
three-actions: You disperse vital energy in a 30-foot emanation. This targets all living and undead creatures in the burst.
Heightened (+1) The amount of healing or damage increases by 1d8, and the extra healing for the 2-action version increases by 8.
Popcorn races over to wreak furious vengeance on the glaived skeleton. As she near it, it reacts by slashing out at the leshy with its own weapon.
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But though cut Popcorn is undeterred. And while once again the fire burning through her seems ignored by the undead, the force of her flail sends it crumbling into pieces!
Ahzeem then prays to the Dawnflower for her channeled mercy. This time She does answer, and Tux jolts back to consciousness with a start on the ground as their wounds quickly heal.
Initiative
Cordelia 6/18 HP
Tux, prone, wounded 1
Ebren 12/16 HP
Baga
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Seeing Tux get healed, Baga focuses on the skeleton shooting arrows. The orc closes the distance and gets behind the archer.
Ranged Reprisal: In addition, if the foe that triggered your reaction is within 5 feet of your reach but not in your reach, as part of your reaction you can Step to put the foe in your reach before making a melee Retributive Strike.
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Cordelia winces though the pain of the strike, clasping her shield arm over the wound to stabilize herself, "Damned pile of bones." She curses, taking a deep breath and fighting through the pain as she forces past the crumbling skeleton to charge down its remaining companion, raising her mace high to crush it's head!
◆◆ Stride x2
◆ Strike (Flanking) vs. Yellow
Injured, Cordelia nevertheless charges ahead! With Baga moving past the skeletal archer and distracting it, the rogue capitalizes by delivering a well-placed blow right to its spine. The swing's force ripples throughout the bones, and the undead crumbles into nothinginess.
Looking around in the following moments for any more surprises, you don't see any further nearby undead converging on you. You do notice however that amongst three of the now-still piles of bones rest a familiar object: a wayfinder.
Attached loosely to the glaive-wielding warrior's broken waist is a small bag with about 10 gp worth of various currencies jangling about inside. Cordelia and Baga can also notice in the remnants of the campsite they're standing near a dessicated detached hand with a large gold signet ring still adorning one finger.
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Ahzeem looks at the ring, recalling what he may remember to his companions....
...He then takes out the scroll given to him earlier and says: "Gather close everyone." Once they do he casts...
You channel vital energy to heal the living or damage the undead. If the target is a willing living creature, you restore 1d8 Hit Points. If the target is undead, you deal that amount of vitality damage to it, and it gets a basic Fortitude save. The number of actions you spend when Casting this Spell determines its targets, range, area, and other parameters.
one-action: The spell has a range of touch.
two-actions: The spell has a range of 30 feet. If you're healing a living creature, increase the Hit Points restored by 8.
three-action: You disperse vital energy in a 30-foot emanation. This targets all living and undead creatures in the burst.
Heightened (+1): The amount of healing or damage increases by 1d8, and the extra healing for the 2-action version increases by 8.
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After a quick run that barely got Baga winded, he turns around and returns to the rest of the party. "Allow me" he says to Cordelia as he offers his hand over her remaining wound.
Baga then spends 10 minutes ensuring the health of the nearby vegetation
Returning back to the camp area, Baga puzzles over the placement of things. "This campsite looks like it is maybe a crude map of the nearby area. Maybe Calisro Bennarry would be happy with this information if we copied transferred it to paper."
With the patchwork map collection growing and the party's injuries patch, you look to continue quickly towards Steadfast. Searching around the abandoned campsite the six of you can find a path that winds through the trees providing a slightly easier trail as you go on.
Walking down it, the wind begins to pick up while you walk, causing the branches to rustle and creak as they shake and brush against each other. It is the only sound other than the crunch of your own footsteps for some time: the expected normal chirps and chattering of forest wildlife is utterly absent. Eventually your trail crosses into a wider path, what was at one time likely a trade road. The crossroads splinter and branch off into multiple directions. As you look down at the intersection your ears perk up: echoing in the distance of the woods if the faint sound of cavalry
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Cordelia nods appreciatively to Ahzeem and Baga as her wounds heal and color returns to her skin, "I pray that's the worst we'll have to deal with." She states before picking up the wayfinder on the skeleton she felled and turning it over in her hand, a deep frown crossing her face, "More things to gather up and return to the lodge unfortunately." She murmured to herself.
Working together, you recall something about how trade routes worked in what was once Lastwall - and more importantly whihc paths are less amenably to horseback. You veer off of the main roads but try to stay somewhat close to remain on course.
After about a half-hour, your path brings you to a high-up vantage point on a rocky outcropping high above the forest floor. From this elevated position you can see a bleak, dark tower rising defiantly above the mist a few hilltops away. From the crenelated tower above, dark flags wave in a parody of the Lastwall heraldry they once bore. Fires within the tower glow with an eerie purple light as the sounds of undead forces create a cacophony of terror from within. Every few moments, the purple light pulses, bathing the surrounding forest in a sinister, lingering glow.
Seeing the heraldry flapping on and around the tower only Ebren recognizes the crests of the Marcheck and Nikoire families. The Marcheks were a modest-sized but extremely old-rooted house known for raising some of the finest horses in the region. The Nikoires in contrast were once praised throughout Lastwall for the high proportion of mages coming from their family who worked to maintain and bolster the wards around the nation.
From a hidden outcropping Cordelia observes how the undead in the distance are moving. While she takes in hundreds of figures, many seem to be being organized into squads of about a dozen, each led by a pair of mounted figures that appear to be commanding the other undead.
Tux note that the lands around the tower are extremely well defended. The structure itself sits on a hilltop but several fortifications have been constructed along the slopes leading to it. With that terrain, any assaulting force on the tower would quickly get pinned down or easily flanked by enemy reinforcements.
The six of you slink away around the tower. Popcron takes point, but Ebren and Ahzeem each find themselves crunching leaves beneath their feet and accidentally cracking branches as they go. You nearly draw the attention of a patrol of undead drummers, but Tux and Baga both manage to quickly pull you away into cover and you narrowly find your way past them to safety.
On the far side of the tower hill, you continue in the direction Claudiette provided. The fog remains thick, the sky dark, and the ominous calling of birds echoing uncannily through the air. But after about another hour of travel a town suddenly appears out of the mist. Surprisingly suddenly, given the torches ringing the place.
You see the remnants of a dozen or so structures surrounding a taller, domed building that may once have been a grand hall in better days. In the fire light offered by scattered campfires in and around the ruined homes, refugee families huddle for warmth, share their food, or converse in hushed whispers. Among the population of several hundred villagers, dozens of skeletons are also moving about! But they are not attacking: instead these dead are assisting the living with packing and training with rusted weapons and farming equipment under the barked commands of a knight dressed in mismatched armor near the great hall.
Noticing your emerging presence a pair of runners call out - 'Sir Crayden!!' in warning. The half-elven knight turns quickly with a start, then his tension eases slightly as he takes in your obviously-alive appearances. The man waves off a pair of skeletons and a burly dwarf carrying a greataxe before approaching you. His hands rest on his belt - not far from the sword belted to his waist - as he says in a gruff voice:
"Well met. I am Sir Cray Darahan, Knight of Lastwall and defender of Steadfast." He looks you over with an appraising eye as he asks "Are you seeking shelter, lost in these dark lands, or here to help?"
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"We're here to help, in a sense." Cordelia states as she steps up, fishing the orders from Sabina Malatesta out of her belt pouch and handing them over, "We were sent with supplies to help evacuate Steadfast." She adds, doing her best to not stare too openly at the skeletons among Crayden's ranks or let the discomfort at their presence show.
"We're here to help, in a sense." Cordelia states as she steps up, fishing the orders from Sabina Malatesta out of her belt pouch and handing them over, "We were sent with supplies to help evacuate Steadfast." She adds, doing her best to not stare too openly at the skeletons among Crayden's ranks or let the discomfort at their presence show.
Sir Cray takes the offered paper and reads it over. The man's expression lightens as he absorbs the note and your words.
“So Claudiette made it! Is she with you?" he looks up, then seeing the answer to his question is obvious asks No I see. Well, did you bring the keystone? Once Tomas can get that up we can get these poor people out of the Gravelands. And then once they are safe those of us that can still fight can rally to destroy that watchtower of evil and rid this region of the tyrant's forces!" He looks back at you excitedly "Did Claudiette find any intelligence on the tower? Is she sending Pathfinders or knights to join us? Or...is it just you?"
Ebren is visibly disturbed by the sight of the skeletons walking about openly. It is very difficult for him to trust them. He leans in closely to Sir Crayden.
How did you get them to be so helpful, and not hostile?
The knight follows Ebren's gaze, the lowers his own voice slightly to reply.
"Ah, I can understand your concern. I admit I had similar shock myself when I reached this town. Around here - this town, this land - everything the dies comes back as an undead. Everything, whether they want to or not. Some sort of foul magic spewing from that dark tower is the cause of it: a Pharasman priest we had, Elios, was able to confirm it. But some of the risen retain their own minds, especially those who fall further from the tower, or from that evil Ivory Reaper who preys on the region." He lowers his head in sorrow. [smaller]"In the scant years since Vigil fell we have had more than a hundred die here. Most are lost, and many of those we see again is under the banners of the dead armies. But a few retain a spark of their soul and themselves and make it back, to pick up where they left off. Or try to at least."
Sir Cray gestures sadly to a skelton standing by Steadfast's entry arch. “Tomas over there was a mason in Vigil before it fell. He and his family tried to get to Caliphas, but their entire caravan fell into a ravine and was set upon by unimaginable monsters. He died of his injuries here in Steadfast, but once he came back he tried to help out wherever he could. Not everyone was willing to accept his help, him being dead and all. But he’s a good man. Claudiette was hoping there could be some kind of cure, but we’ve had no luck. Over time, we’ve all just grown accustomed to each other. We all want the same thing: to survive.”
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"We're here to help, in a sense." Cordelia states as she steps up, fishing the orders from Sabina Malatesta out of her belt pouch and handing them over, "We were sent with supplies to help evacuate Steadfast." She adds, doing her best to not stare too openly at the skeletons among Crayden's ranks or let the discomfort at their presence show.Sir Cray takes the offered paper and reads it over. The man's expression lightens as he absorbs the note and your words.
“So Claudiette made it! Is she with you?" he looks up, then seeing the answer to his question is obvious asks No I see. Well, did you bring the keystone? Once Tomas can get that up we can get these poor people out of the Gravelands. And then once they are safe those of us that can still fight can rally to destroy that watchtower of evil and rid this region of the tyrant's forces!" He looks back at you excitedly "Did Claudiette find any intelligence on the tower? Is she sending Pathfinders or knights to join us? Or...is it just you?"
"Claudiette is still bedridden, she was the only one to make it back." Cordellia reports in a grave tone, frowning deeply at the man's apparent enthusiasm, "We were sent in her stead, a small group for better maneuverability and to avoid drawing attention... And it was a good thing it was just us." She begins, glancing back the way they came, "We skirted the tower... Or rather the tower skirted us, with how we came upon it. The Graveknights are rather active and mobilizing a large force as if they're preparing to make some kind of move. Anything less than a full force and a preemptive bombardment would be a gross loss of life and only bolster the Tyrant's forces." She warns, clearly agitated by the prospect though she quickly catches herself, clearing her throat a bit as she tries to regain her composure.
"With due respect, orders from the top are for you to stand down from attempting to retake the tower and aid us in getting the refugees out of here."
"That tower is a rallying point for the forces plaguing this land!" the knight responds indignantly. "It is spewed dark magick that is corrupting the very soil of this place. The purified keystone should protect Steadfast and its surroundings from its reviving power, but its range is still limited. Each day that passes with that battlemnet in place the dead horde grows. I swore to defend Lastwall from such blasphemies, and I take my oath seriously."
That said, while his commitment to an assault is clear, as you describe what you learned from your scouting an observations at the tower does give Sir Cray pause. "The Nikiores have been turned? Grace, that is ominous. The knights remaining here are well-armed and trained but..." he sighs. "there is a point at which bravery and skill cannot overcome sheer numbers. Very well: as much as it pains me retaking that tower can be a campaign for a different day I shall accompany you and the refugees back to Caliphas to give my report the the Knights presiding there."
"Don't worry we can always come back and smash the tower later. The priority now is to make sure that everyone in the town is safely evacuated."