Ka'kara squishes one of the rats and Proteus and Jiro manage to finish off another. It lunges at Jiro as he stumbles but he is out of reach of the snapping jaws. Roylenna's fire hits one of the rats squarely in the face and briefly illuminates it, but doesn't seem to otherwise affect it.
Hella pulls out a slingstone but misses and Sandros's blow goes wide but the three surviving rats decide that they've had enough and run away. Jiro kicks one of them as they run.
The room is a large natural cavern, about 40 feet across. In the middle of it are the remains of four gnolls, obviously killed by dragon several days ago and partially eaten by rats.
There is only one visible exit, to your right (north). Make some Perception checks (sound).
Sandros begins to approach the gnolls, wondering if they have any worthwhile loot.
If the gnolls had anything worthwhile, it's been destroyed by the acid (and chewed by rats).
The barbarian doesn't seem to overly notice the small bleeding bite on her calf now that the enemy has fled. She walks over to the opposite exit impatiently waiting for Sandros, "They dead enough for you?"
You can't hear anything but the desperate squeaks of fleeing rats.
As you proceed you find an empty cave with no visible exits. With that, you have explored this part of the dungeon (the dragon's lair) fully.
Looking over your shoulder you notice that for some reason Jiro and Hella have followed Gilby to parts unknown. Hoping that they'll find their way back, you proceed - but to where?
Rolling her eyes in anticipation of the debate over what to do next that's sure to take place now, Ka'kara closely examines the walls for secret doors and the like . Thinking to herself, Those gnolls had to get in here somehow and I doubt they made it past the dragon.....
Rolling her eyes in anticipation of the debate over what to do next that's sure to take place now, Ka'kara closely examines the walls for secret doors and the like .
Roylenna provides light for the search, moving her Lights as Ka'kara directs.
Roylenna provides light for the search, moving her Lights as Ka'kara directs.
There is nothing of value in the caves, but interestingly enough, the room beyond the room with the gnolls shows signs of recent occupation. There are small scraps of food and even part of a foot-print that is too small to be from the gnolls.
There is nothing of value in the caves, but interestingly enough, the room beyond the room with the gnolls shows signs of recent occupation. There are small scraps of food and even part of a foot-print that is too small to be from the gnolls.
Ka'kara gives Roylenna a mystified look, "Something small other than the gnolls lived here recently." Seeing that the men are still deliberating, "Come on Lenna, let's go look around that room where the gnolls bodies were. What happened to our other little sister?" A sudden look of shock crosses her face, "She went off with Jiro.....you don't think...." She stops seeming as if she doesn't quite know how to finish such an inappropriate thought.
Roylenna provides light for the search, moving her Lights as Ka'kara directs.
At Ka'kara's mention of Hella's disappearance, Roylenna whirls around in shock, sending her Lights whipping through the room suddenly. "She was just right.... and so was Jiro.... where did they go?" Her eyes are wide when she brings the mystical torches back. "Do you think they will be safe? I hope Hella finds her thing she was looking for..."
And the tiny woman stands lost in thought a few moments before taking a deep breath and shaking herself out of it. "We'll see them again, I know it! Where do you want to search next?"
Sandros, on the other hand, picks up on it just fine, and "boggles" is not the word. After a moment's hesitation, though, he shakes he head and looks around. "Let's keep moving," he says. "Where to next?"
Ka'kara smiles and with a quick nod, begins to head back toward the lake at Sandros' suggestion.
As you explore the northern part of the lake, you notice a ledge 15 feet up along the wall. Beneath it there is a large pile of bones from some kind of large creature.
Will you stop to check it out or explore the rest of the cave?
As you explore the northern part of the lake, you notice a ledge 15 feet up along the wall. Beneath it there is a large pile of bones from some kind of large creature.
Will you stop to check it out or explore the rest of the cave?
Ka'kara look up toward the ledge, puts away her blade, and as she carefully looks Sandros' up and down with a sly grin, "How much do you weigh?"
Ka'kara look up toward the ledge, puts away her blade, and as she carefully looks Sandros' up and down with a sly grin, "How much do you weigh?"
Sandros looks offended. "I would never ask you that..." he mumbles.
Sandros looks offended. "I would never ask you that..." he mumbles.
With her smirk getting wider, in Ka'kara's first attempt to pick Sandros' up she strains and doesn't seem to be able to get anywhere, "You might concider taking it easier on those rations from here on out." After she's done fooling around she easily hefts him over her head, fully extending her arms, and allowing him to use her hands as stepping stones for the bottoms of his feet. "What do you see?"
With her smirk getting wider, in Ka'kara's first attempt to pick Sandros' up she strains and doesn't seem to be able to get anywhere, "You might concider taking it easier on those rations from here on out." After she's done fooling around she easily hefts him over her head, fully extending her arms, and allowing him to use her hands as stepping stones for the bottoms of his feet. "What do you see?"
Sandros looks offended. "I would never ask you that..." he mumbles.
"Do you want some light?" Roylenna considers, then sends them up anyway, so they are between Sandros and the interior of the cave, but as close to the ceiling as she can manage from her vantage point.
"What's up there?"
She has another idea, too, leaving those lights to aid Sandros, she summons another set and sets to studying the bones at the base of the wall. Perception 1d20+0=5
The ledge is about 10 feet wide. In its right corner theere is a two-foot tall bronze statue of a sitting maiden holding an offering bowl, surrounded by small, intericately carved stone flowers. Within the offering bowl there is a medallion depicting a beautiful human eye attached to a simple silver necklace.
There is nothing else of interest up there.
Sandros scrambles up onto the ledge, then calls down the specifics of what he sees. "Looks like a shrine of some kind," he concludes, "but I don't recognize the goddess. Proteus? Royl?"
Sandros scrambles up onto the ledge, then calls down the specifics of what he sees. "Looks like a shrine of some kind," he concludes, "but I don't recognize the goddess. Proteus? Royl?"
If Roylenna seems up for it, Ka'kara picks her up and carefully hands her up to Sandros.
Sandros scrambles up onto the ledge, then calls down the specifics of what he sees. "Looks like a shrine of some kind," he concludes, "but I don't recognize the goddess. Proteus? Royl?"If Roylenna seems up for it, Ka'kara picks her up and carefully hands her up to Sandros.
"Oh, I want to see!" Roylenna scrambles to her feet and puts her hands up like a child begging to be held.
Knowledge (Religion) for statue 1d20+3=16, Knowledge (Religion) for necklace 1d20+3=8
And for good measure, she will concentrate for a moment to check for magical auras.
As neither the look of the statue nor the amulet itself rings any bell, Roylenna concentrates and notices that the amulet gives off an aura of faint abjuration magic. As she picks it up to examine it closer you suddenly hear an ominous rattle below the ledge as the bones reassemble into a skeleton of a large quadruped (a bear, probably) - which is a bit awkward for Ka'kara, who is standing in their midst.
Roll for initiative.
"Um," Sandros begins, "I'm not sure you should-" but his warning comes too late.
As the bones start shifting and rising around Ka'kara, it takes a moment for her to even register what is happening....
....but as she was apparently examining them closely just to entertain herself she is not caught offguard and pulls her great blade and attempts to return them to their formerly inert state....
...but discovers that it is difficult to swing from inside the ribcage of a undead bear....
"By Asclepius! Proteus exclaims as the bones begin to assemble.
"Um," Sandros begins, "I'm not sure you should-" but his warning comes too late.
"Not sure I should what? ... Oh!"
The skeletal bear rips into Ka'kara in a fury, slashing and tearing with its horribly heavy claws and teeth
Roylenna, Sandros, Proteus and Ka'kara. In any order, if you like.
The skeletal bear rips into Ka'kara in a fury, slashing and tearing with its horribly heavy claws and teeth
Roylenna, Sandros, Proteus and Ka'kara. In any order, if you like.
Heavenly Fire attack 1d20+6=22, damage 1d6+2=7
"Proteus!"
Sandros stares for an instant at the skeleton, then slips his bow off his shoulder. "Gonna need another one of these after this," he mutters to no one in particular, even as he leaps off of the ledge to land behind the skeleton.
He lands easily, then tightens his grip on the bow and takes a swing at the thing's hindquarters.
"Vitae," Proteus says.
"Vitae," Proteus says.
"Vitae," Proteus says.
Roylenna's fire sears away some of the bones. Sandros somersaults down and thwacks the monster ineffectually with his bow. Proteus channels holy energy that washes over you all, including the skeleton, but it shrugs off the worst of it.
Ka'kara is up, then the skeleton.
Roylenna's fire sears away some of the bones. Sandros somersaults down and thwacks the monster ineffectually with his bow. Proteus channels holy energy that washes over you all, including the skeleton, but it shrugs off the worst of it.
Ka'kara is up, then the skeleton.
As the bear ravages her, only the strength of her fury keep her on her feet. Blood streams freely from the slashes and bite mark and colors not just her but the bones of the skeleton as well. Deep down she knows she cannot stand another ferocious attack such as that but sees no way for the others to escape. She stands in defiance sensing this very well may be her last....
Ka'kara's mighty swing is easily deflected by the mighty paws. The bear mauls Ka'kara for 12 points, then swings around. Sandros feels its jaws lock around his arm and takes 13 points of damage.
You're up.
You're up.
"For the love of...!" Sandros shouts as he jerks his bleeding arm away. He drops his bow flips backward, getting out of the skeleton's reach; somehow, in the process, he manages to draw his rapier as well. Pointing it at the skeleton, he shouts, "Amarth pergurth!" and a ray of scintillating bone-white energy blasts forth from the weapon's tip.
Feeling slightly reinvigorated by both Roylenna's fire and Proteus' healing Ka'kara looks death in the face and her wide blood splattered grin once more crosses her face. This was a good death... Raising her blade for what might be the final time she brings it crashing down on the things skull.
....but she wouldn't go without a fight.
Sandros's magic splinters part of the ribcage of the monster, but it keeps on fighting. Keeps on, that is until Ka'kara's desperate blow lands squarely on its skull and it collapses into the pile of inanimate bones it was before Royl picked up the amulet.
Ka'kara is stopped from going to one knee as the rage leaves her only by using her sword as a support point first in the ground. The blood from numerous gashes darkening the stone beneath her. "May the bear spirit finally find peace..." Looking toward Proteus, "Let us take the bones from this accursed place and put them to rest. Would you bless them shaman?"