Ara moves forward and easily hit the ghost.
The ghost turns and hit Ara back for 8 points of damage and ghostly mud splatter everwhere.
Ara roll a fortitude save.
I feel a sensation of intense sharp cold and all my breath feels as if it has been stolen from my body. It feels as if my heart is about to burst.
You pass the fort save handly. The ghostly mud splaters harmlessly. Between Ara and Melba's attacks it looks severely injured.
It is Tsuna's turn.
Tsuna whimpers and backs off toward me because nothing she did effected the ghost.
I cast lay on hands again touching the ghost.
I roll D20+5 to hit
12+5= 17
Damage: 2D6
I rolled (6+4)=10
I yell "May this undead be cleansed from this world!" as I cast.
As Melba hit the ghost it disappears apparently defeated.
What are you doing now?
I sigh a deep sigh and a big smile creeps on my face.
"yeah I needed some action! Plus I got to cleanse this earth of another stupid undead"
I give Tsuna a big hug and ruffle the top of her head and look toward Ara.
"How are you doing? do you need healing? We can rest a moment and you lead the way when you are ready."
as I wait for Ara's response I have Tsuna scan the area where the ghost died and search for clues.
I cast Detect Magic.
Nothing shows up on Detect Magic. Besides the magical stuff you and Ars have on.
Tsuna find absolutely nothing.
Okay Ara what do you do?
"I don't think I need a healing quite yet, Melba. I am very grateful for the offer though." I search the room as thoroughly as I can. I still want as much information as I can find. Ultimately it might be fruitless searching here, since whatever is taken is long gone, but I think it will help if we at least know what it was.
There is nothing in the room.
What are you doing now?
I examine the strange blue lettering on the other door and try to read it. I try to call on all of my past knowledge to assist me in making some sense of what I see.
You can tell the writing is ancient too ancient for you to dicipher. You would guess it is a spell but you aren't sure.
Since I think the text seems to be a spell, I try to decipher its meaning a second way.
I recite a poem about magic while making gestures which focus my mind and my senses--opening my mind and making it more flexible and able to comprehend the power imbued in the symbols I see.
This language is too old for read magic but you do think the spell is a ward against whatever is insode.
"Melba, I don't think we should disturb that door just yet. Lets see what else we can find upstairs."
Upstairs is the ruined castle and the forest.
I look for signs of any tracks on the ground that might indicate the recent presence of whoever stole what was on the pedestal.
I agreed with Ara and we moved on to the castle ruins upstairs. I tell Tsuna to sniff out the area as I look around
Perception 1D20+11= (14)+11=25
No tracks. Nothing in the castle you haven't seen a hundred times before. You both can hear the forest from here it seems to say the problem hasn't moved.
What are you both doing?
Since the problem still seems to come from this area, I head back downstairs to examine the door with the wards, looking to see if there is a way to open it without compromising them. (although I am somewhat worried that they might already have been compromised by the removal of whatever had been on the pedestal)
It can be pulled open but there is no handle. It looks very heavy you wouldn't be surprised to need help.
I look to see if Melba followed me down. "Melba, can you help me with this?" I look for an edge to pry open, or any other thing I could use instead of a handle.
The edge is large and easy to hold.
I help Ara to pry it open.
The door is heavy but with much straining and grunting you two manage to get it open. Inside is a 40 foot by 40 foot stone room it is empty except for a single ocpant and an empty doorway on the far side in the right corner.
The occupant never turns towards you. The only thing she wears is gorgeous purple cloak. You would guess she is about 18 with long brown hair. She moves in a circuit. After looking for a while you tink she is working at table long gone to dust. She is always is 15 feet into the room and never comes closer in her circuit than 10 feet from the left and righ walls.
I enter the room and move along the right wall, observing the occupant to get a better view of what she is doing.
As you see the front side of her you can tell she is dead. A living person wouldn't be missing most of the right half of her face. The missing flesh and eye have been replaced by plant fibers. She is wearing a 3 inch seed whose shell looks a lot like the roots you saw.
For her actions think how a scientist might look if he tried to carry out the same experament until long after everything had rotted away.
I take the left wall as I eye the odd image of what I think is a girl. I get braver and try to walk up to her and call out " excuse me..are you alright?" hesitating a little unsure what to think.
She doesn't react at all. Not even a slight twitch.
surprised that she didn't react I go to tap her on her should maybe thinking she might be deaf. "oy!can you hear me?"
Same as before. She doesn't react at all. Not even a slight twitch.
With a mix of anger and uncertainty what was happening I yell "Hey don't act like on not here!"
I use "lay on hands"
I roll D20+5 to hit
15+5=20
damage or healing if hit
2D6
I rolled (4+2)=6
She flinches from the sharp blow and turns toward you.
Okay everybody roll initiative.
I roll a 12+2= 14
Tsuna is 14+3=17
She steps back makes a few gestures and red beam come out of her hand and hits Melba for 13 damage.
Now it is your turn Ara.
I proclaim my blessing against hurt, harm, and ghostly beings again, trying to maximize the drama of the gestures in hope that the effect will be truly potent.
at the woman
You have to move up to do that but you easily can. After this anyone casting in melee has to say they are casting defensively. You hit and she flinches a little.
Okay it is Tsuna's turn,
Tsuna knowing what happened last time with this kind of creatures does not attempt to bite but gets in front of her master in order to protect her even as a shield. She growls lowly at the creature Slightly scared but trying to be brave.
Okay it is Melba's turn.
Melba curses as she recovers from the hit. "why you dang blasted slime sucking toad licking son of a monkey!"
She Tries Smite evil in rage.
Then she casts lay on hands again.
16+5+3=24 to hit
2d6(4+4)+3= 11 damage
She screams in pain as you touch her.
She recovers steps bak a little and makes a few gestures and fire washes over all three of you.
All three of you make reflexes saves.
Melba
Reflex Save: 1D20+7=(17)+7= 24
Tsuna
Reflex save: (12)+6=18
Ara you take 15 damadge, Melba you take 8 damage, Tsuna takes no damage.
Ara it is your turn.
It feels as if the blessings and the orations from earlier have drawn something almost tangible from me. I can tell that I will be capable of no more such performances until I have had some rest. I am in intense pain from the flames and the touch of the ghostly presence from the other room.
I therefore think that it would be better for me to retreat behind Melba and Tsuna to get to a point where I can offer them inspiration and encouragement. I worry that Melba might think me a coward for it...
If you do nothing else this turn you can withdraw to the doorway.
Tsuna's turn.
Angry that her master and now her master's friend has gotten severely hurt Tsuna decides it is better to try to at least distract the undead so at least it could by some time for them. She leaps forward at the ghostly girl and tries to bite down with all her might for her masters sake.
Bite 1D20+4
19+4=23
damage roll 1D6+3
6+3=9
Trip 1D20+4
20+4=24
Tsuna teeth meet flash and she screams as she is brought down.
Melba's turn.
I sigh a little as I ignore the burning pain and fatigue. I notice Ara retreated behind me and Tsuna. I do not blame her as she got seared pretty badly as well. I chuckle a little knowing Tsuna's bravery in protecting us may have saved our sorry asses. I am glad that she seems unharmed. Looking over the fallen form of the ghostly figure I almost feel sorry for her in a way because I do not know her story and if she was suffering in any way. I close my eyes for a moment and pray for this foe as I hope that this blow will be the final one.
"Be cleansed and rest in peace"
I Power attack with my boomerang
I roll 27 to hit
Damage (1d8+2)+3+3+1= 17