Welcome to the Force- IC

[Grimlocked]

As you step foot into Ro, there is no fanfare.

There is no excited host.

There is no welcome sign.

Instead, the village before you sits quiet, with only a pair of villagers wandering in the distance. Neither seem to notice the newly arrived party however, as they seem to be walking aimlessly in the beautiful warm sun. The town stretches a short distance with a string of small shacks making up a majority of the buildings. The shacks look to barely held together, with crooked wooden slats and thatched roofs. There are two larger buildings, one is simply marked "Bar" and the other marked "Morgana's General Goods". Just beyond the village, the beautiful snow-covered Mons Mountains stand tall.

[Kaptin Keen]

Well there's nothing to steal in this place, ponders Rakash, disappointed, and even if there was, there'd be nothing to spend it on.

Do you think this is one of those cases where our first forced labor is to build our own guard house? He asks the others.

[Ostara]

Mabel took a deep breath, enjoying the crisp air of a fine summer day, and shifted the weight of her basket from one arm to the other, heavy with her spare books and the minutiae of her things. Her Bat was tucked inside of it, currently asleep. Ro seemed a charming little town to her- and similar to home, if even smaller and less well-built. To Mabel, it was perfect.

"If it is we'll just have to do our best. Maybe they'll put us in the upstairs of one of the larger houses?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Labor camp slash city guard - why am I not surprised. I suppose we could go ask at the tavern, and maybe stea .. I mean purchase .. a nice refreshing mug of ale to wash down the road dust.

Rakash sets off for the building marked Bar, hoping to find the common room bustling with goodfolk with full purses and low attention spans.

[Greater Cantrip]

"Don't be silly. There is already a guard house - it's just closer to the mountains. It has such a pretty view!"

Odette practically bounces with excitement. She totally derails Rakash's plans to hit up the bar by taking him by the hand and pointing the entire group towards the guard house first thing. "Come on! I'll introduce you to uncle Eldred. You're going to love him!"

Fido trots along behind her, tongue lolling and a doggy grin on his maw. He's pulling a little cart, but it only has a few odds and ends in it - like the tent Odette has been sleeping in on the road - so he seems entirely unbothered by the weight.

[Kaptin Keen]

But .. but ... objects Rakash, feet working futilely at the ground as the foul giant drags him along.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"First order is to bring our stuff to the guard house. Even if Eldred is probably at the bar." Her tone held a hint of bitterness.

"It's best to go in there with only the clothes on your back and blade at your hip... Trust me" She remembered plenty of brawls spilling out into the street. Despite the roughness, most of them had been good-natured wrestling matches between locals. It always seemed to be the travelers that took offense and pulled a weapon of some sort. Of course it was easy for Eldred to step in then, since he was either already at the bar, or in the middle of the scuffle himself. She smirked at the thought of her traveling companions getting into a bar fight.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Kaptin Keen]

I don't really have any stuff, mutters Rakash - not really loud enough to be easily heard, nor quiet enough to be undetectable. But by the looks of it, it's not far off the mark: Rakash's total belongings amount to a cloak, a suit of leather armor, a sling, a dagger and a pair of boots - plus some rags and tatters. And if you look closely enough, you realise most of the leather items are made from the same piece of leather.


All of Rakash's gear is hand-made from a nobleman's cloak he once found - when the original cloak was made into boots, armor, wrapping for the dagger handle (which is actually the point of a broken old spear) and a sling, there was just enough left over for a new, goblin-sized cloak.

[Grimlocked]

As you walk through the doorway of the guard house, you find yourselves in what is little more than a cabin. The guard house is a single room with a small bathhouse behind it. The room is about twenty feet by twenty feet, with most of the space being taking up by bunks and random messes of clutter. Various articles of clothing are scatted across the room and countless bowls litter the floor. There's something long and dark on the far wall, but you cannot seem to make out what it is.

Then it hits you. That horrific smell. Your nostrils burn with a pungent musty smell.

On the far side of the room, a few bunks clutter along the wall. On one of the bunks, a stocky man slowly stirs as the sun hits his face through the doorway. He wears a rusted out breastplate and stockings. Little else. He lets out a muffled groan as he cranes his neck to view the intruders.

"Mmf... what... are you?"

As his eyes make out the figures before him, Eldred lets out a groan. "No... please sweet gods no. Don't tell me that you are the new recruits?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Doomed, thinks Rakash to himself, we're all doomed ...

Recruits? No, noo, he laughs desperately, we were just looking for the ... local constabulary to ... report a bar fight .. um, at the, um, bar.

Rakash looks hopefully towards the other members of their little troupe, his eyes signalling 'sweet dark powers below, can we just make a run for it?'

[Ostara]

"They didn't let me keep a blade after training...do I have to buy one to get in?"Mabel asks in a worried tone to Vesta's suggestion for Ro bar-hopping(though really, it's more like bar-stepping, since there seemed to be only one.) Luckily that discussion is tabled, and despite her earnest words she's glad she wouldn't have to actually build a guard house.

Although once they enter and that stench hits them she's more than a little willing to pick up a hammer. She covers her nose with a fold of her guard uniform, coughing as her eyes sting. She waves a hand, and the nearest window or door to the outside pries itself open.

She does her best to make a proper salute with one hand covering her face.

"Um...reporting for duty?"

Gonna use open/close to help air our the cabin without having to touch any of the windows/doors yet :P

[Greater Cantrip]

"Yeah, Uncle Eldred, it's us." Odette announces.

Then she asks How long has it been since you've had a bath? - A question which would be entirely out of line for a new recruit addressing their superior officer, but which fits a concerned young niece talking to her favorite uncle.

[ngilop]

Tarik stands there mouth agape, this is nothing at all like the guardhouse his father was stationed at in Extravaga, and a guard would have been whipped if they looked.. let alone smelt like the man in front of him. He looks to the goblin whos slumped posture says everything one needs to without words, Tarik nods in agreement with the unspoken message.

Tarik manages to straiten himself and stand at attention putting his jaw back in the normal position, not trusting himself to say anything for fear it would be insubordination.

[Grimlocked]

Eldred rubs his eyes as a loud groan escapes his mouth. His gaze falls to the floor as he mutters with a gravelly deep voice.

"I can't believe they sent you, Odette! How did you even pass the tests?" Eldred asks as he rolls his eyes and sighs. Eldred sits up, covering himself in a raggedy red blanket that looks like it may be more itchy than comfy. His sandy blonde hair is stringy and clumpy on his head, looking like it may be glued together in some parts. He looks over the rest of the recruits, but he stops and squints at the sight of Rakash.

"What even is that thing?" Eldred asks, pointing at Rakash. "Is that one of your pets?"

Noises rise in volume outside. It starts as a distant yell, but it grows in volume quickly as it is joined by other yells and shouts. It has the roar of battle, or the chants before a fight breaks out in the schoolyard. Eldred lets out a painful groan and looks to you. "You want to start guarding? Go deal with the drunks!"

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette balls her fists and presses her lips into a thin line.

This isn't over she promises Eldred. Before she can go see what is happening outside she needs to, at the very least, get Fido out of his harness. She tries to do that as quickly as she can.

[Kaptin Keen]

Does it strike you as ironic at all that you're an unwashed, low-brow, tubby human asking a goblin to do his job for him - yet you're the one trying to be condescending? Snarls Rakash, don't worry, we'll settle this little dispute right quick. Right?

He turns to the others, obviously waiting for them to take the lead - even when angry, caution remains the better part of valor.

He also does what all goblins do, but should learn not to: Smile. Showing far too many sharp, pointy teeth for human comfort, in a maw seemingly too wide for his head.

[Grimlocked]

"Whatever," Eldred says as he waves off Rakash. He has a coughing fit before laying back down. He rolls over, turning his back to the party.

As you step outside, you are hit with a breath of fresh air as the warm sun hits your face again. As your eyes and nose adjust to the outdoors again, you see a crowd has formed just outside the bar. By rough estimate, it appears that there could be twenty or thirty people crowded with more checking out the scene from a distance. The crowd chants and hollers, taunting the individuals in the center. Through the maze of people, you can see that two individuals have already begun trading blows. They stagger around each other like boxers, throwing out the occasional punch.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Don't worry about the blade for now, Mabes. We'll get you a dagger when we're settled." She had a soft spot for the wizard, glad to have made her acquaintance at the academy to help both Odette and her study for exams. In return Vesta had taken her under the wing like she had with Odette during their youth.

Vesta nearly growled like Fido might if approached by a stranger as Eldred made his presence known and subsequently refused to do his job. "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

She stomped outside and marched toward the crowd. Already clad in her armor, she drew the longsword at her hip. "So help me, if it's him..." Looking down toward the slinking goblin, she her voice was stern. "Don't stab anybody unless they stab first... or they really deserve it." She added the second stipulation to cover the fact that she had a deep seated desire to do some stabbing of her own if a certain person was the one brawling.

Vesta gave a sharp whistle and bumped the nearest person with her shield. "Make a hole, clear the way!"


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Intimidate vs crowd: [roll0]
Swift Action: assume Punishing Stance

[Greater Cantrip]

Despite every attempt to hurry, Odette is one of the last ones out the door. Freed of his burden Fido gives a happy bark and follows along after her, both of them eager to see what Vesta is going to do.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash slinks along behind the rest, using his natural advantage of being small and sneaky to remain out of sight - not exactly invisible, but maybe closer to beneath notice.

Rakash is naturally indisposed to violence, but he's also strangely reluctant to abandon his travelling companions. He readies his sling while falling into the background, hoping to keep his ... loose allies' backs safe.


The original Rakash had a deal with the GM to be allowed to attack for sneak attack damage, non-lethal, by loading his sling with lumps of clay. I'm not sure whether it's to be considered OP to be able to knock enemies out rather than kill them - but if it's ok with Grimlocked, I'd like that option =)

Otherwise I'll be perfectly fine without it.

[Grimlocked]

"Make a hole, clear the way!"

The uproar dies down abruptly as all eyes turn to Vesta. They begin to shuffle and step over each other as they rush to get out of Vesta's way. Some point, and others cower, but all are cautious as Vesta approaches. A few quiet apologies come out, but little else is said or heard.

As the crowd clears from them, the brawlers drop their fists and turn to look at Vesta. One, a Dwarf, steps forward. A ball of thick, curly, black hair sits where his head should be. Somewhere in that messy ball of hair, a pair of deep blue eyes peer through. His tanned fists curl up tight at his sides, and he stands before Vesta.

"Oi! Who do ya think ya are?! Messin' with me fight, ya?"

[Ostara]

It takes Mabel a minute or two longer to get outside as well-partly because she let everyone else go first, and partly because she had to hunt for a place to drop her basket and hurry back out. She makes it outside just in time to see Vesta stalking into the crowd imperiously.

Fearlessly(though a little breathlessly-Vesta has such a long stride compared to her!), she steps close into Vesta's wake. Her bat hangs from the edge of her wide-brimmed magicians hat, peering at the drunk combatants through tiny black eyes far more intelligent than they should be.

"I didn't know fights could be owned Vesta." She stage-whispers as the man speaks.

[ngilop]

Tarik steps out in front of Vesta interposing himself between her and the dwarf. He shakes his head and answer's Mabel's question. "Indeed, they cannot. Especially on our watch. Calm down, take a few deep breaths and tell me what the issue here be Sir dwarf."

[Grimlocked]

The Dwarf looks Tarik over, examining him closely. In the ball of hair, you can see his blue eyes scanning the party. He finally lets out a sigh and his shoulders lower just a touch.

"Aye, I s'pose you all did not come to cause trouble. We have been strugglin' lately here in Ro. You could say things have gotten... weird. Ever since those varmints have been showing up, nothing's been normal."

The crowd behind him mumbles in agreement, offering several nods and words of confirmation.


Everyone roll a spot check

[Ostara]

"Varmints?"

Mabel makes sure to grab the tiny bat hanging from her hat and hold him between her hands protectively.

[Grimlocked]

The Dwarf nods. "Yes, there be varmints in this town. Strange ones too! Furry little beasts with far too many legs. Teeth like needles!"

"Tell them about the voices Dumpy!" A voice calls from the crowd.

"Aye, there be... voices. They speak to us in our minds," Dumpy says as he points a finger to his head. "They control us. Someone tried to stop these little varmints once. He's... very ill now. He may be dead now."

Dumpy and the rest of the villagers go quiet. A gentle breeze rustles through the village, offering up some of the only noise you can hear.

"If you be the guards, I s'pose you have to help us... aye?"

[Kaptin Keen]

From behind the legs of someone larger and more easily targetable, Rakash will pipe in:

That sounds like the kind of mess a group of responsible adults would solve on their own - rather than dump it in the lab of a group of strangers who were press ganged into service and sent across the land to serve under a fat, speciest guard captain.

Unless, of course, there were some sizeable reward involved. Then we'd certainly hear you out.

[Greater Cantrip]

Does Eldred know about these 'vermin'? Odette asks, sweetly.

[ngilop]

"Multi-legged furry creatures than can control your thoughts?" Tarik thinks for a moment before giving a judgemental glare to the goblin "That is what guards are supposed to have 'dumped' on them protect the citizenry under their watch. Not for any reward.. that is merc talk.. and you can only trust a merc for as long as you pay them, somebody else has more gold, or they die"



SPOT: [roll0]

[Kaptin Keen]

In my experience, mutters Rakash, you cannot trust the guard no matter how much you pay them.

[Grimlocked]

Dumpy looks to Tarik and steps forward, now standing just a few inches from Tarik. "If you indeed be the new guards, we need you. Eldred be a useless guard these days, and we are merely peasants. There be those sick from the voices and varmints in the infirmary, but those little varmints are still running all around town. We need..."

Dumpy stops talking as his eyes close. His eyelids flutter repeatedly until finally shooting open. When they reopen, the once blue eyes have now turned red. The muscles of his arms pulsate, and he lets out a vicious growl. Shrieks and gasps come out of the villagers behind him and they promptly disperse in every direction as they seem desperate to escape whatever is about to take place. Dumpy takes a step back and rips his shirt off with a loud roar. His chest pulsates in rhythm with his arms, and he lets out a hissing noise.

"I... must... kill!" He roars.


Combat Time!
For combat, this will be done by grouping. For this combat, the party gets to go first, then Dumpy. If needed, feel free to catch up, then make your actions for combat. Good luck!

Great roll! As you speak to Dumpy, out of the corner of your eye you can see little balls of brown fur disappear behind the bar. They have six legs and long necks. From your guard studies, you would recognize them as Neogi spawn.

[ngilop]

"Neogi spawn!! behind the bar!! Think spiders with long necks and six legs." Tarik knows that dumpy has been charmed and points the direction the neogi ran off to to his fellow guards, he unseaths his weapon and with the blunt of the blade smacks dumpy hard in an attempted to knock him out. "I'll hand this guy, just gonna knock him out then i will catch up with the rest of you"

non-lethal attack:[roll0] -4 for non-lethal already included
damage:[roll1]

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Ugh... like a rat, spider, and eel had a drunken night in the stables." Vesta headed in the direction that Tarik had indicated. She desperately hoped that there were only a few of these things and not an entire infestation.

"Haven't even unpacked yet." She growled and only glanced back briefly to ensure that Odette and Mabel stayed a safe distance from the crazed dwarf. "That one might need stabbing Rakash!"


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Full Round: Double move to side of bar.

[Kaptin Keen]

Unsure which threat is the greater, Rakash will try to cover both - while, incidentally, keeping himself as safe as possible. At full sprint, he runs up the side of the bar, to perch on the roof, hopefully able to keep an eye on events on both sides of the building.


I think I missed the call for a spot check.

Spot: [roll0] - it's not like he's much good at them anyways.
Using Up The Walls to move to the roof.

[Greater Cantrip]

Ah! Odette exclaims when the dwarf's eyes turns red. Then Ahhhhh! when he bulges and attacks.

Then there is a fight and Vesta is running after that awful thing and there isn't really time to do anything but run after her and cast a spell. Fido keeps pace with her.

[roll0] edit: guess this roll isn't needed
(OOC: Protection from Evil on Vesta)

[Ostara]

Mabel lets out a yelp as the dwarf goes crazy and charges, though she hedges her way around Tarik fearlessly, while keeping out of the crazed dwarf's reach. Carefully, she lines herself, chants, and gestures with a hand imperiously. A bright cone of oscillating colors hammers into the dwarf(lined up to avoid Tarik and the other guards), bathing him in multicolored light.


Poor Tarik can make a DC 14 will save or be out like a light for a few rounds- better than beating him around I think :P

[Grimlocked]

Tarik and Mabel

With a resounding crack, Tarik's blade smacks across Dumpy's skull. The Dwarf's red eyes dim, and his arms wobble at his sides, before his body falls to the ground. As Dumpy lays unconscious, a flash of rainbow colors surround him. His body glows in the glorious colorful light, but remains motionless.

Dumpy lies at your feet, and it seems that the village has cleared out. Most of the villagers have dispersed into their homes, but a few stragglers remain and watch from a distance, peering around corners at Tarik.


Vesta, Odette, and Rakash

As Tarik and Mabel focus down Dumpy, Vesta sprints after the Neogi spawn. Her body momentarily gives a faint white glow as she has been protected by Odette. As Vesta turns the corner, Rakash scrambles up to the bar's roof.

In view of both Rakash and Vesta, five Neogi spawn are circled up about fifteen feet away from Vesta. Their long necks stretch from their balls of fur. Needle-like teeth protrude from small mouths. Two of the spawn tackle each other like playful dogs, and their brown fur glistens in the sun.

The spawn are a bit distracted with each other and do not notice Vesta approaching.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash is queasy about taking the lives of others - especially when it's not even in self-defense. He plops a stone into his sling, and spins it, but does not fire. Maybe the .. whatever they are .. can be persuaded to leave peacefully. He prepares to fire to support Vesta if it comes to a fight.


Ready action to attack is the neogi attack.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] and I believe the minimum is still 1, plus [roll2] sneak attack damage, provided they're either unprepared, or haven't spotted Rakash.

What the hell, here's a hide roll for Rakash to keep his head down: [roll3]

Edit: This are pitiful rolls - at least it should be a hit =)

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta moved forward with measured precision. Her shield was held before her for protection as the longsword struck down at two of the spawn in rapid succession. She needed to reduce their numbers quickly in hopes of managing the retributive attack that would surely follow.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Move Action: 15 ft movement to melee
Standard Action: Steel Wind (strike two adjacent targets)
Attack Rolls: [roll0] // [roll1]
Damage Rolls: [roll2] // [roll3]

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette casts the same spell she cast on Vesta on her faithful dog, Fido.

Fido, attack she orders, indicating the horrible mind-control squirrels.

[roll0]

Fido sits for Odette, and lolls his head to the side with a big doggy grin on his face

You'd expect a normal dog to growl or bark or make noise when it attacked. Fido is too well trained. He rushes into the fight next to Vesta and mauls whatever neogi is in his way.

[roll1]
[roll2]

[Ostara]

Mabel looks at Tarik, and smiles sheepishly.

"Um, good job?" She hears the sound of fighting coming outside heads after Vesta and the others.

Double-move to get out towards the others, preferably safely behind Vesta and Fido near Odette

[Grimlocked]

The Party!

A stone soars through the air as Rakash shoots off the roof. The stone whizzes through the air, clunking one of the Neogi spawn clear on the head and sending it to the ground. The smack of the collision is loud enough to arouse the rest of the Neogi spawn, but Vesta is already swinging in with an attack of her own.

A loud roar emits from her blade as a stiff breeze shoots from it. Two of the Neogi spawn let out a shrill shriek before they are destroyed by her vicious strike.



The Neogi

Two Neogi left and their hateful gaze is set on Vesta. They storm towards the woman, teeth bared. As one goes in for the bite, it trips over itself and stumbles to the ground prone. The other Neogi spawn goes for a bite at Vesta's ankle, but finds its teeth scraping her armor at first bite. A screech like nails on a chalkboard fills the air, but no damage is done.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Repulsive little things..." Vesta shifted her stance aggressively, having little fear of her enemy's combat skills after those weak displays. She brings the sword to bear again against the one that scratched her armor, focusing on recovering from her previous strike.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Swift Action: Assume Punishing Stance (+1d6 damage; -2 ac)
Recovery Action: Full Attack - [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] + [roll2]

[Kaptin Keen]

They are vicious little vermin, Rakash tries to convince himself as he lines up another shot, I needn't feel sorry for them.

He tries to reposition, ducking out of sight, moving and firing from another position.


It's technically possible, but a little unlikely to snipe them when the Hide modifier isn't higher - but there are cirsumstantial modifiers to take account of, and anyways Rakash belives in practice. So if I remember correctly the DC is +20 to 'hide as part of movement' to gain sneak attack. Not easy.

Hide: [roll0]
Attack: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2] minimum 1, plus potential sneak attack: [roll3]

[Ostara]

Mabel struggles with her equipment once the fight comes into view-unhooking a crossbow from the belt at her waist, then hurriedly loading it as she half-follows Vesta's awe-inspiring strikes.

[Greater Cantrip]

The battle joined, and no 'down' order yet given, Fido continues to snap at the neogi. That gives Odette time to pull out her crossbow, to flip the 'safety' off, and to take a shot.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[roll2] (+1 if within 30 feet)
[roll3] (+1 if within 30 feet)

[Grimlocked]

With grace and ferocity, the blade of Vesta glides through the air, slicing one of the Neogi in two. It lets out a vicious shriek as it collapses to the ground. Shortly after, a second stone flies from the roof, taking clunking the final Neogi in the skull and knocking it to the ground.

With all the Neogi dead, Fido appears from around the corner ready to pounce on any living Neogis. With the creatures all slain, however, Fido simply sniffs around the small fluffy corpses.

As the final Neogi spawn falls, a hush takes over Ro as you all stand in silence, victorious.


Combat Completed

With Dumpy unconscious and the Neogi Spawn dead, everyone receives 200XP for the encounter. Sadly, Neogi spawn don't have any treasure on them.

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette rushes over to her friends. Seeing that they are unhurt she takes the time to scratch Fido behind the ears.

Good boy she coos.

The dwarf said there were more in the infirmary. Do we want to try to go check that out now, or report back to Eldred first?

[ngilop]

Tarik makes his way to the rest of the group, giving Mabel a wary eye. "We should check out the infirmary, and just a heads up...when I say I got something... I got it." Tarik begins walking to the infirmary *initiating Hunter's stance for scent* "We should deal with this issue completely before we talk to Eldred."

[Ostara]

"I was just trying to help." Mabel frowns but says the words quietly. She rubs her arms sheepishly and rehangs her crossbow now that the fight seems over, though for the moment she leaves it taut just in case there are any more gross squirrel-monster-things around.

"Shouldn't we at least tell Eldred about it? He's supposed to be in charge. Maybe knowing something is wrong will..I don't know, give him something to do?" Her tone is uncertain though, since even for Mabel it was hard to reconcile the heap of booze and embarrassment that was Eldred with 'superior officer'

[Greater Cantrip]

Don't be mean to Mabel Odette tells Tarik, her tone not entirely unlike that of a preschool teacher.

[Kaptin Keen]

Tarik makes his way to the rest of the group, giving Mabel a wary eye. "We should check out the infirmary, and just a heads up...when I say I got something... I got it." Tarik begins walking to the infirmary *initiating Hunter's stance for scent* "We should deal with this issue completely before we talk to Eldred."

Up on the roof, unseen by anyone not paying keen attention - and unseen by Tarik in particular - Rakash struts along in clear imitation of him, pulling faces and apeing his little speech: we wa way we weh wa-wah .... wa we we!

Then he jumps down, and follows the rest towards the infirmary, innocent as anything.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Better to do what we can without bothering him." Vesta wiped the blood from her blade on the furry body of one of the dead creatures before sheathing it. "Besides, it'll show him that we aren't a bunch of kids that needs babysitting."

"He'll be free to do what he does, and that means we'll be free of him trying to lead us. A win-win." She followed toward the infirmary.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Grimlocked]

The infirmary is a building just slightly larger than the guard house. It's wood paneling looks slightly better than the work done on your guard house, but as you approach you are hit with a smell that could be worse than what you experienced in from Eldred and the guard house.

Upon entering, an Elf turns from a bedside and looks to you all confused. He is bald and has small, rimless spectacles covering green eyes. He places a hand on the patient lying on the bed, and there you see it. A man looks to be sleeping. He has translucent skin, and lies motionless under multiple blankets.

The Elf looks to you with sober eyes. "Can I help you?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Eep! An elf! Cries Rakash, leaping back a step, weapons ready, everyone.

This particular wicked elf seems ... unthreatening and non-hostile. But that could be just a ruse, a trap. Rakash is ready for anything.

[ngilop]

Tarik looks at the sleeping man "Uh... am I supposed to be able to see through his skin?"

[Ostara]

Mabel couldn't help but giggle, able to see Rakash's actions just above Tarik's head. She puts a hand to her mouth, covering it but failing to silence the mirth.

She follows the others, and starts when Rakash jumps and cries out.

"Yes? He is an elf."She looks confused, glancing between the two, uncertain if her smaller companion had realized something she hadn't.

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette's brow furrows in confusion. Then, a few seconds later, she goes oooooh

When Dumphy said 'there be those sick from the voices and varmints in the infirmary' he probably meant, like, 'there be those sick from the voices and varmints ... in the infirmary, and not, like, 'there be those sick from the voices ... and varmints in the infirmary.' ...

...


... You guys should probably ask some questions or something.

[Kaptin Keen]

"Yes? He is an elf."

Rakash stares at Mabel wide-eyed, and implores her, voice trembling: Of all the giant races, the elves are the most wicked. Beware!

He spins on the elf, spear-tip dagger appearing in his hand as if by magic.

Did you conjure the neogi thingies, foul witch?

[Grimlocked]

At the sight of the dagger, the Elf raises both hands high. Behind his spectacles, you see worried light blue eyes.

"Eep! Bandits!" the Elf blurts out. "I... I didn't conjure anything. I swear! I'm just the local medic!"

He glances down at the motionless body and looks at Tarik. "No, he's been poisoned by those little monsters. He's the first to come in contact with them, and... you see what happened."

[ngilop]

Tarik pushes Rakash behind him while he interposes himself between the elf and the goblin. 'Don't mind rakash.. been hit on the head one too many times" He looks the man on the bed "SO.. its just the poison that did this, nothing else more... sinister?"

[Grimlocked]

The Elf breathes a sigh of relief at Tarik's words and lowers his hands.

"I... I guess I don't know really. The little critters were scattering from his place, but no one really knows what happened. We aren't even really sure where those things came from in the first place. Personally, I think there was a tear between the planes, but no one listens to crazy Barsabbas!"

Barsabbas puts a nearby cloth in a bucket of water and dabs the patient's forehead. "Did you... did you see them? The little... bug-creature-things?"

[ngilop]

Tarik nods "Neogi. Yeah we killed about a half dozen or so of them a planar tear you say... any idea where it might be?"

[Grimlocked]

Barsabbas's eyes bug out slightly at Tarik. "You... you killed them? You are quite the impressive swordsman. Glad we have someone like you around! As for the planar tear, I... I guess I can't say for sure. Strange things do occasionally come from the mountains, but according to my calculations, the spawn seemed to have just appeared at this old chap's house."

Barsabbas tosses the damp cloth in a nearby bin and begins to mix various liquids. A vibrant red liquid is poured into a clear one and you watch the liquid turn a soft pink as he swirls it around. "Sorry if I seem a bit... frantic, I... just... I don't... I don't really have any healing capabilities and have no idea what I'm doing as far. As I know, he may already be dead!"

From where you are, you can tell he's breathing.

[ngilop]

Tarik shakes his head "The team killed them." Tarik looks to the rest of the group, "it might be best if we head to this guy's house to make sure no more of those things come through. If there is a portal"

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash stows the dagger, for the moment convinced swift and decisive action holds this particular elfs wickedness at bay.

Um, planar rift sounds dangerous. I just want to, once again, bring up the questionable wisdom of helping these lowly serfs at great personal risk without substantial recompense. I’m against all bloodshed in general, the shedding of my own blood in particular.

Can’t we just run away? Someone else foolishly dreaming of heroics will surely come along to save the peasantry, right?

[Ostara]

"No, we can't Rakash. If it's not us they'll just keep attacking people in town! Besides, it's what we signed up to do." She glances at Vesta and Odette though, giving them a small, but noticeably nervous smile. It helped having people who seemed capable to help after all.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash sighs as deeply as a child who just now found out the easter bunny doesn’t exist.

.. but I was press ganged.

But if you insist we do this, maybe I should sneak in first, get an idea of numbers and positions?

[Greater Cantrip]

So, are we going to travel up into the mountains looking for the tear? Odette asks the group.

It doesn't even occur to her that Barsabbas might be wrong.

should I pack for an afternoon hiking trip or a few days of camping?

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Going to his house should be the priority. Sir, if you are in need of samples to study, the dead are still out behind the bar. Mabel might even be able to help you. She's the sharpest mind I know." Vesta gave Mabel a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"We'll go investigate the house and return after."


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Ostara]

It takes a moment of Mabel beaming at Vesta's praise, before her expression fades a bit when she realized Vesta was offering to not let her join them.

"Thank you Vesta. I know it seems silly but you might need my help. I'm not helpless, and I'm a guard too...and probably the best person here to deal with magic like portals tearing a hole in reality!" She frowns, chewing on her bottom lip and glancing Tarik's way with just a bit of guilt even as she makes her case.

"Oh! But um, afterwards I would be happy to help Ser Barsabbas of course."

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"I meant after, Mabes. Who else is gonna blind Tarik so I can get more kills than him?" Vesta smiled slyly at Tarik.

"Odette, we're going to go to the poisoned man's house. If we don't find anything, a trip to the mountains might be on the agenda."


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[ngilop]

Tarik just shrugs and chuckles a bit "Well, that is the only way you are going to keep the lead, me be unconscious for every fight." Tarik finds where the house is exactly from the elf and head that way, making sure that rakash doesn't try anything funny


OOC@ Vesta I am not seeing anything under your OOC posts, don't know if it is intended or not. Just wanted to point it out incase it is a mistake.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash shrugs, and follows the rest, greatly reassured by their confidence in striding in without scouting, and also relieved to not have to do the scouting. He even whistles a tiny tune, while he readies his sling, and keeps a keen eye out for places to hide.

[Grimlocked]

At Vesta's words, Barsabbas's eyes open slightly. "Oh? I... I suppose I can go check those out. Any help would be appreciated!"


Approaching the victim's house, Ro is still. All the villagers are still in hiding, and you find yourselves walking through what feels like an abandoned village. Still, you press towards what looks to be a poorly-built shack. It's slated roof is riddled with holes and it's door rests crooked in the doorway. As you approach, you find the front door locked.

[ngilop]

Tarik looks to Rakash and then indicates the door. Knowing the goblin wanted to scout the house out for them.

[Greater Cantrip]

Oh. Odette frowns, disappointed to find the front door locked.

Are we allowed to break into an unconscious man's house? She wonders aloud, while glancing around the side of the building looking for a less intrusive way to do just that.

[Kaptin Keen]

Tarik looks to Rakash and then indicates the door. Knowing the goblin wanted to scout the house out for them.

Use your words, giant - include the magic one, if you want results.

Rakash doesn't wait around to see if Tarik takes a hint or not, merely mutters 'doors are for fools', scampers straight up the wall and peers in through the holes in the roof.


Up the Walls to reach the roof. Climb shouldn't be required by my thinking, but here's a roll in case it is: [roll0]
Move silently: [roll1]
Hide: [roll2]
Listen: [roll3]
Spot: [roll4] Rakash, sadly, doesn't see so well in the sunlight. Also, he has only so many skill points to go around =(

[Ostara]

"I don't think it'd be nice to just break it down right?" She agrees with Odette's worries, though she beams at Rakash as he 'offers' to scout ahead.

"Thanks Rakash, be careful!" Mabel calls out quietly after the small guard.

[Kaptin Keen]

"Thanks Rakash, be careful!" Mabel calls out quietly after the small guard.

Rakash shoots a wild glare over his shoulder, sufficient to clearly communicate '... really?? I'm trying to be quiet here, foolish giant!'

[Grimlocked]

As Rakash scrambles up the wall and makes his way onto the roof, you see a roof riddled with holes, some of which you can probably fit through. For those observing, Rakash disappears instantaneously and you hear silence coming from the roof. As Rakash peers into one of the holes, you see nothing but vague silhouettes. You do, however, hear some soft scratching inside. You cannot be sure what the scratching noise is coming from, but it is somewhat faint.

[Kaptin Keen]

As Rakash scrambles up the wall and makes his way onto the roof, you see a roof riddled with holes, some of which you can probably fit through. For those observing, Rakash disappears instantaneously and you hear silence coming from the roof. As Rakash peers into one of the holes, you see nothing but vague silhouettes. You do, however, hear some soft scratching inside. You cannot be sure what the scratching noise is coming from, but it is somewhat faint.

Rakash has a good bit of trust in his own ability to remain unseen. He will snoop about, and find out as much as he can. If possible, he'll move inside, down a wall, and poke his nose about a bit - very carefully, and with every intention of running away at the first hint of danger.


Rakash can move on walls so long as he ends his move somewhere he can stand - he cannot walk on ceilings, so whether or not he can move down the inside walls of the house hinges on details. But regardless he'll find out as much as he can.

[Grimlocked]

RAKASH- Breaking and Entering

As Rakash slithers his way through one of the holes in the roof, you can begin to see truly see everything inside. The shack consists of one room, with everything looking a bit disheveled. A small bed is made of straw in one corner. At the foot of the bed, a small chest sits closed. Next to the bed stands a small nightstand, where you can hear the continued scraping coming from one of its drawers. A small pile of muddied clothes sits in the center of the room, and a dark hole is in the far corner.


The rest of the guard party

You stand outside the house, watching as Rakash disappears.

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette circles around the side of the building to see if there is another door, or an open window.

[Kaptin Keen]

RAKASH- Breaking and Entering

As Rakash slithers his way through one of the holes in the roof, you can begin to see truly see everything inside. The shack consists of one room, with everything looking a bit disheveled. A small bed is made of straw in one corner. At the foot of the bed, a small chest sits closed. Next to the bed stands a small nightstand, where you can hear the continued scraping coming from one of its drawers. A small pile of muddied clothes sits in the center of the room, and a dark hole is in the far corner.

I know how this one goes, thinks Rakash to himself, I go peek in the drawer, and the neogi chose to lay eggs in there for whatever absurd reason works for them. I open, I cautiosly peek inside, and hundreds of micro-neogi leap in my face and poison me to death ... then lay eggs in me, cause why the hell not? It makes no sense, but what do they care?

Silently, cautiously, Rakash sneaks over, very gently cracks open the drawer - just a tiny crack - and peeks inside.

[Grimlocked]

Rakash the Bold

Placing your hand on the wooden handle, you pull gently. It creaks as it budges, opening just a crack. The room goes silent as you peer into the darkened drawer, but the silence is quickly interrupted as something pushes the drawer against you, attempting to push the drawer open further. Its banging echoes in the small room with deep thuds. A human finger pokes through the crack momentarily before slamming against you once more.

Rakash... make a strength check


Odette and friends

Odette wanders her way around the house, but you find no windows. There are some openings between the rough wooden slats, not unlike the other buildings you have encountered so far, but you find nothing that you can fit through. As you circle back to the door, a loud banging is heard inside.

[Kaptin Keen]

No! Go away! Rakash doesn't do strength checks, his Str score is 7. He runs away, like any sensible person would. If you disagree, I'll rewrite this, but I hope it's appropriate for the situation. By my own reckoning, Rakash isn't surprised, and should be fully in his rights to bolt like a startled squirrel at first glimpse of anything resembling trouble.


An ungodly wail sounds from inside the ramshackle shack, and a moment later Rakash emerges from one of the holes in the roof at near-ballistic trajectory, flying up and out before landing in a crumpled heap besides Mabel - then quickly rights himself, crabbing away from the house babbling incoherently:

Gah! Do not go in there - they, it's ... I don't even know, it's a mimic or something, it tried to grab me and eat me!

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette comes running back towards the front door when she hears the crash.

Oh no! she exclaims. Vesta, what do we do?

[ngilop]

" Maybe it was a big bad scary elf?" Tarik couldn't help but say as he laughs. He puts a shoulder into the door and is quickly on guard incase whatever it is that scared Rakash is an actual threat.

Strength Check to open the door: [roll0]

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Sounds like a clear case of 'threat to public safety' to me." Vesta drew her sword as Tarik put his shoulder into the door, stepping next to him in preparation for an assault.

"Rak, back to the roof. Odette and Mabel stay behind us."


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Draw sword and move adjacent to Tarik.

[Kaptin Keen]

" Maybe it was a big bad scary elf?"

Victim of their propaganda, mumbles Rakash to himself, maybe you'll see the truth before it's too late for you.


"Rak, back to the roof. Odette and Mabel stay behind us."

Go back there - are you mad? Did I not just say there's a monster in there? It tried to eat me. I'm sure I don't even taste well.

Despite his protests, Rakash moves back up the wall, and peers over the edge - just barely - keeping his ears down like a spooked cat, as if fearing someone would grab them and lever him, by his very ears, straight into a gigantic, toothy maw.

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette grabs Mabel's arm and tugs the wizard a little ways down the road behind Vesta.

Come here, Fido she tells her dog. He trots over to stand beside her.

[Grimlocked]

The party that breaks into a house together...

The doors rips from its hinges and slams to the ground with a resounding thud. As Tarik and Vesta burst through the door together, sunlight comes through the now-emptied door frame, revealing a small green-skinned hand in the center of the room. Its greenish flesh has a dark and shadowy hue in the light, and a bone protrudes from where the wrist should be. As Tarik and Vesta burst through the doorway, the hand stops its motions and points itself to the intruders.


Rakash, you go high

On the roof, Rakash looks down into the house to watch as Tarik and Vesta rush in. In the center of the house, you see the disembodied hand, its green tone similar to the finger you had just witnessed earlier.

Turn Order:
1. Party (the order you post will be the order of events)
2. Monster

[ngilop]

Tarik stands there ready to strike (readied attack in case the hand makes a offensive move), he says to Mabel or Odette never taking his eyes off the animate green hand "I don't know much about the body.. but I know that a hand should not be moving on its own.. one of you want to come take a look at this?"

Readied Attackk: [roll0]
Damage.[roll1]

[Greater Cantrip]

Eee! Kill it! Odette squeels when Tarik tells them what he found.

She takes her own advice and starts fumbling about for her crossbow.

[Ostara]

"Oh! How interesting. Perhaps it's necromantic? Let's see." Mabel's voice offers helpfully from behind Vesta and Tarik. She steps closer, moving right behind Vesta.

She peeks around the taller woman fearlessly, her bat swaying precariously from the bridge of her hat.


Knowledge Arcana check?: [roll0]

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Doesn't matter what it is, matters what it isn't, which is natural. So it gets the pointy end." Vesta strode forward and leveled her blade at the detached hand, seeking to impale it with the thrust.

"Rak, where did it come from?" She looked up toward the hole that the goblin had crawled in and out of, expecting him to be keeping a look-out from there.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Swift Action: Assume Punishing Stance
Move Action: Move adjacent to Thing
Standard Action: Attack [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] + [roll2]

[Kaptin Keen]

Hell? The cemetary? What do I know?! After a moment of thought, Rakash adds, um, but it was hiding in that drawer, waiting to jump me!

And eat me, he adds, somewhat dubiously.

[Grimlocked]

As Tarik calls for someone to check the figure out, Mabel steps boldly towards the hand with determination. The fingers of the hand seem to be pulsating, but the hand remains relatively motionless. After a quick look, Mabel sees that this is indeed a normal hand, perhaps the hand of a Human or an Elf. You can sense a magic presence coming from it, and the spell feels fresh. You cannot be 100% sure, but it seems that this disembodied hand has been charmed or animated.

As Mabel studies the hand from a safe distance, Vesta steps between Mabel and the hand swinging her blade through the air. The light peeking through the doorway glistens on her blade as it slices down, splitting the hand in half. The faint feeling of magic dissipates, leaving a dull hand.


Each character receives 100xp for this encounter. Yay!

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta cleared her throat and continued to hold her shield and sword at the ready. "Yes... well. Let's see if we can't find anything that ties that poor soul to those monsters."

"He might also be charged with disturbing the dead... the hand came from somewhere, after all." She looked toward Rak. "Probably the cemetery."


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Taking 10 for 12 on search

[Ostara]

"Well it matters if it's necromancy. That means there could be someone raising the dead, or something magical or evil occurred near a dead body that spontaneously animated it. If it's the latter, there might be more undead just walking or crawling around. If it's the former well...um. They might be trying to make more undead, which is a bigger problem right? Strange it's only the hand though- where's the rest of our zombie friend?" While Vesta searches the room she crouches down to examine the hand more closely now that it isn't moving, using a spare bolt from her crossbow to carefully flip and move it without touching it. She puts her chin in her hand, humming thoughtfully as she tries to think back to what she's read of the area.


After a moment's thought, she gently pries her bat from the edge of her hat and peers down at the tiny brown creature.

"Go outside and see if you can find the rest of the body that goes with this hand, will you Batholomew? Come back if you find anything, don't go too far off though-wouldn't want you getting lost!"She asks the fuzzy brown creature politely, who stretches its wings, yawns, and tumbles out of her hands to vanish through one of the holes in the roof.

Knowledge nature roll to see what the hand came off of/how long it's been rotting for/etc.
[roll0]

Would also like to see if Mabel knows anything about Undead near Ro or the mountains nearby.
Knowledge(local) - [roll1]

Bat will go about 4 rounds(about 160 feet) distance in a spiral, use spot+listen coupled with blindsense, looking for undead or other humanoid creatures from about 10-15 feet in the air, then come back.
spot: [roll2]
listen: [roll3]

[Greater Cantrip]

Since she is the only one still outside, and since Mabel said they should look around for the rest of the body, Odette takes on the ambitious task of searching everything outside the hut.

[roll0]

[Kaptin Keen]

When Rakash peeked into the room originally, he noticed a pile of cloth on the floor, and a dark hole in the corner. He'll proceed to - very cautiously - poke at both with his spear-tip dagger.

*poke-poke*

So .. the hand was in the drawer. Someone might have trapped it there, though I can't say why they would. They might also have hidden it there. Say .. someone wanted to leave behind a message, cut off his own hand, and hid it, so it could write out a message when someone found it ... a highly doubtful expression wanders across Rakash's face. That's propably not it, right? Never mind.

Anyways, I suspect elves. Wicked, foul elves.

Hey, is there anything else in the drawer?

Despite his doubts, Rakash half expects the drawer to hold pen and paper.

[ngilop]

" I am not sure if I like this 'attack first, then potentionally ask questions afterwards." He kicks the hand lightly with his left boot before adding "I'd rather know what we are up against before we go gung-ho and charge into combat... especially when supernatural forces are involved."

Tarik then goes over to the chest and opens the drawer.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta stopped her rummaging for a moment. "I think you'd find a conversation with a hand, even an animated severed one, extremely one sided."

"Besides, what's the point of carrying that big sword if you're not going to swing it every now and then..." She waggled a brow suggestively to match her smirk.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[ngilop]

Tarik smiles and says "Well, not all of us are trying to keep tally"

[Grimlocked]

Inside the Head of Bat-Crazy Mabel

Bartholomew flies off, disappearing into the sky above.

Looking at the hand, you can make out some minor details in the hand's flesh and bone to see that it once belonged to a human. Without being graphic, you can tell some of the flesh is still fresh, meaning that this hand could not be more than three days since its unfortunate separation. Thinking about the region, you rack your brain in eagerness as you try to remember recurring instances of necromancy. There are none. Granted, the information from the mountain range is limited, as people rarely stray from the paths, but you cannot seem to recall any instances of undead or necromancy.

Your thoughts are interrupted though, as Bartholomew returns quickly. The bat twitches about normally as it perches back on your hat, so you get the sense that it was unable to find any undead in the area.


Rakash the Bold

Poking your way around, you poke into the pile of clothes. Nothing emerges though, and the pile stays in tact as you fish through it. Looking at the hole in the corner, you are hit with a stench as you approach. You decide it probably is not worth approaching and turn your focus back on the nightstand. You approach the nightstand once more, this time with a bit more gusto. There is no more scratching noise though. In fact, the stand is still and silent. Approaching the open drawer, you indeed find a pen and paper. The paper is blank, but has some specks of dried crimson, presumably from the hand that was placed with it.


Odette the Outside

Wandering her way around the shack, Odette can watch as Bartholomew flutters off. Ro is still peaceful as before. In the distance, you can see Dumpy still lying on the ground. Nothing obvious sticks out to you otherwise, as the shack itself is rather uninspiring.



Tarik and Vesta, a blossoming love story

As the two exchange words, Vesta observes the room around her. She watches as Rakash pulls a pen and paper from the drawer, and can watch as Bartholomew leaves Mabel, who is observing the hand some more. She can see the chest in the corner, but its Tarik who makes quick work of getting it open.

The small wooden chest is unlocked, and it springs open at first touch. Inside, gold reflects the sunlight back to Tarik, bringing a golden glow to his face. In the center of the chest, a rolled piece of parchment sits on top of the gold. The parchment is sealed with a bright orange seal, and the outside of the parchment has something written in a mystical language, each symbol giving off an orange glow.

In the chest, you find 100gold pieces, and a scroll. Use it wisely! Or foolishly!

[Kaptin Keen]

Having unexpectedly had his crazy idea seeminglu vindicated, Rakash seizes on it nail and tooth.


"I think you'd find a conversation with a hand, even an animated severed one, extremely one sided."

Unless it could write out it's reply! He cries, waving the paper around. It's all so clear to me now: The hand wasn't attacking, it was merely waiting for a chance to explain itself. And you callous giants cut it down, unthinking - poor, disembodied thing that it was.

Feeling marginally more lucid, he adds:

Um, that hole in the corner seems ... I mean, it smells really vile. Do neogi nest in really smelly holes or anything like that, you think?

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette wanders back inside,

No sign of a body to go with that hand she reports.

... but if I wanted to leave someone a note I think I'd, you know, just leave the note. Not cut off my hand and animate it to write the note once someone showed up? It's a question, not a statement. She sits down on the bed, sure she's contributed as much as she is going to be able to. She pats her leg and Fido trots over to lay on the floor next to her.

[ngilop]

Tarik shrugs "I am no expert on neogi, but I can say the following this all assurance." Us 'giants' are much to large to check, can you squeeze down there and find out for us?"

[Kaptin Keen]

... but if I wanted to leave someone a note I think I'd, you know, just leave the note. Not cut off my hand and animate it to write the note once someone showed up?

Rakash's face goes through several stages of inner turmoil as he struggles with the intrinsic logic of this, but also doesn't want to give up a good, crazy idea without a fight ...

Well - um .. suppose you're a necromancer, and you're tied up, but you .. have a knife ... but then why not cut the bonds, rathar than cut off your own hand?!

Since this isn't going anywhere, changing the topic is a valid strategy:


"I am no expert on neogi, but I can say the following this all assurance." Us 'giants' are much to large to check, can you squeeze down there and find out for us?"

Um .. no? Rakash looks in terror at the whole, which he can clearly get into, no, sorry, I'm pretty sure that's impossible.

[Greater Cantrip]

Where that hole is, it should just go outside shouldn't it? Odette observes. She fishes a copper piece out of her coin pouch and casts a Light spell on it. That done, she tosses it into the hole.

[Grimlocked]

The coin drops through the hole, illuminating the dirt all the way down. About 15 feet down, the coin finally hits bottom. It rests on the earthen ground, illuminating a small tunnel.

[Greater Cantrip]

Oh. Maybe not then. Odette kicks her feet a little, sitting on the bed.

She looks at Vesta. I wouldn't want to send Rakash down there alone. That seems scary.

[ngilop]

Tarik shrugs his shoulders "Well, I do not want to either. I am unsure how we can get there as none of us are small enough to fit. I do not doubt that is where the neogi spawn have originated."

[Kaptin Keen]

Sheesh, alright! I'll go! Let's not all stumble over one another in eagerness to volunteer - sweet dark powers below, how do you giant races ever get anything done.

Nimbly, Rakash holds his nose and dives into the hole.


Hide: [roll0]
Move silently: [roll1]
Spot: [roll2]
Listen: [roll3]

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta looked down the hole and snorted. "No one needs to go down. We smoke them out."

"We need oil and wet wood. Throw it down the hole and throw coals on it, cover the hole with a lid. Smoke will rise up but also push through the tunnel. Keep it going for the whole day."

"Either the tunnel goes even deeper and larger and the smoke doesn't do much of anything, or it flushes them out the other side and if it's close to town we'll see the exit." She glanced toward the others to see if they were in agreement to her idea.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash's muffled voice emerges from deep down the hole: Really? Now you're suddenly full of ideas and initiative? Sheesh!

Muttering a prayer to powers of the deep and the dark that protect small, squishy sneakers from larger, more formidable threats, Rakash continues to explore.

[Grimlocked]

Finding his way to the bottom, Rakash looks into the tunnel. It is dark and cold, but a silence comes from the tunnel. Exploring in further, you find the tunnel makes a turn into a darker room. You hear scrapes coming from this room and your nose tells you the smell is coming from this direction.

[Kaptin Keen]

At the sound of more scaping, Rakash imagines an army of severed hands - enough to dig this tunnel, with all the agonizing slowness one must imagine severed hands work with. Terrifying as a room crawling with necromantic appendages might be, he doesn't want to return to the giants emptyhanded (no pun intended), and so he creeps forward, trusting in his innate ability to remain out of sight.

He does kick some loose earth over the coin, snuffing out the light, however. It's notoriously hard to remain sneaky with your shadow looming huge on walls ahead.


I know it's superfluous to point out Rakash's deeprooted cowardice yet again - but his courage will only hold until the very slightest glimmer of trouble .. then he'll leg it like ... well like an army of severed hands (or, neogi, I suppose) were after him.

[Grimlocked]

Rakash the Explorer

As Rakash inches his way towards the scraping and scratching noise at the end of the tunnel, he quickly finds himself at the doorway to a much larger room. A staircase made of brown earth descends several feet deeper into the earth below. Every several steps the walls drop off, giving the room a upside-down pyramid look. Various torches dot the outskirts of the room, some burnt out and others very close giving the room a dim orange flow. Various letters and symbols are carved into the room's dirt walls, all in a strange language.

At the base of the staircase, a clearing reveals a small wooden altar. At the base of the altar, a skeleton towers. After a moment of observation, you can determine it is the skeleton of an Owlbear. It looks down to the altar motionless and unaware of the Goblin at the top of the stairs.


On the Outside Looking In

The rest of the party waits for Rakash. The sun's glow is beginning to dim as the day turns to evening.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash decides that enemies with the numbers and ressources to dig underground pyramids are propably beyond his ability to take on solo. Not that that was ever the plan.

He returns to the tiny house.

Ok, he whispers, hoarse and dramatic, the tunnel leads to some sort of freaky temple. It's huge, and there's an altar, and the skeleton of some absurd owl/bear hybrid monster - likely an undead guardian. And there's writing all over the walls.

Oh. And um, I didn't actually see anyone down there? But there was scratching, like the hand made? So I guess there's an army of crawling hands hidden down there too, ready to pounce.

[Greater Cantrip]

... Uuuuh... is Odette's eloquent reply.

She looks over at Vesta. Was that there, um, before we went off to train? she asks.

Because if it was then no one told me.

[ngilop]

Tarik scratches his chin for a moment and then does his best to try to wiggle though the hole "Well, what are we waiting for some cult is making undead bear owl hybrids right under the town, we have got to stop them." He plans on when the rest of the part manages to make it down charge directly at the skeleton putting as much power into the swing as possible.


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

AC 13 for 1 round.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash will fearlessly -fully follow Tarik's charge, sling ready to fire should any threats present themselves.


Frankly, the 'undead guardian' could just as well be an idol - and Rakash knows this, of course, he's a coward, not an idiot. But he is incapable of playing down what could potentially be a real threat.

Rakash will fire on the first thing that moves.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] minimum of 1, plus sneak attack [roll2] provided A) he's unseen, and B) it's something alive, which seems unlikely. Could be neogi, of course.

Oh, and: [roll3] to hide.

Also, should an army of animated hands - or, to be honest, any other army - present itself, Rakash will have to thorough consideration to the wisdom of bravery versus retreat.

[Greater Cantrip]

oh, we're just going? ... Odette asks when Tarik starts to head down. ... Not, like, letting anyone else know what's going on? Or where we are? ... Or, like, reporting the necromancy or the underground pyramid to Uncle Eldred so that if everything goes, uh, wrong somehow ... someone else knows what we found or at least to look for us? ... So we don't just come into town, drop some stuff at the guard house, assault a perfectly innocent dwarf, belligerently question the local doctor then disappear into a hole forever? ... Also me and Mabel don't have that many spells and...

... yeah he's gone... Odette stares down the hole Tarik just disappeared down.

...I don't think he has very much respect for the whole 'town guard' thing she remarks to whoever is still in the hut with her.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash's snarky voice emerges from halfway down the hole:

I think you'll find the only people it would make sense to leave any kind of message with ... is us. We're it. Uncle Eldred is actively decomposing, and the village incompetents are village incompetents.

You comin'?

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Unfortunately, he's not wrong." Vesta shrugged with a grimace as she drew her shield and the morningstar instead of her sword.

"The idea about smoking them out won't work if there's nothing but undead... guess the only option is to smash 'em." She smiled reassuringly to Odette.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette gives Rakash a dirty look when he slanders Eldred, fully willing to take offense on a family member's behalf.

She doesn't argue any further, but she does take a few seconds more to find that pad of paper and pen from the severed hand and write a note. She has to sound out some of the harder words, but Odette did learn her letters!

Dear Uncle Eldred.

This is Odette. We talked to Barsbbabba the elf and he said things are in a shack at the edge of town and there are!! There was a hand and it wasn't attached to anything but it could move and it attacked Rakeshs, and we found an underground tunnel, and Mabel says it's neckromancey. Rasksh went first and said there was a bear owl sckeletngton. We are going to follow the tunnel and if we are not back by tomorrow you are to get help.

Love you!
Odette

That done she folds it up neatly and sticks it, as securely as she can, under Fido's collar.

Go on, Fido! Go find Uncle Eldred. You wouldn't like it very much underground anyway. Good boy.

That done, and Fido run off back to the guard house, Odette joins the rest of the team down the hole.

[Grimlocked]

As Mabel waits patiently in the shack, the rest of the party scrambles down into the tunnel into the room Rakash spoke of. As before, a few torches keep the room dimly lit in orange hues. At the bottom of the staircase, a small clearing has an altar set with the skeleton of an Owlbear towering over it.

Hurriedly, Tarik scrambles to the bottom of the staircase and raises his weapon. Tarik catches the attention of the skeleton, and the skeleton watches as Tarik's blade whips through the air. A metallic hum whispers in the air as it slices its way towards the skeleton. The blade cuts its way through the ribcage, hitting nothing but air as it passes between some bones of the ribcage. Enraged, the Owlbear lets out a bellowing roar. Its roar is cut short though, as a pebble flies through the air, swatting the Owlbear clear on its skull. It looks around momentarily, but sees only the rest of the party watching at the top of the staircase, Rakash excluded. The skeleton focuses its attention back on Tarik and in its eye sockets, Tarik can sense the sheer rage emanating from the boned beast as it stares him down with dark and hollow eye sockets.

It raises a skeletal claw and slices it down into Tarik. The claw cuts into Tarik's shoulder, breaking skin. As the Owlbear pulls its claw back, a crimson liquid drips.

Tarik will be taking 4 points of damage.

[Ostara]

Mabel stared at the hole and swallowed just a bit nervously. Not because it was dark, or because there was an owlbear skeleton(Honestly she was intensely curious of undead phenomena after reading a treatise on the subject at the academy library, especially with the recent specimen she had just been poking at)-no, she was worried because the hole was rather deep and someone had scuffed the light. She waffled on how best to get down for a few moments, before following the others.

She agreed with Odette, if she was being honest with herself- she didn't have that many spells she could cast every day, and the ones she did have she didn't think would help the team that much against skeletons. She arrived just behind Odette to watch the Owlbear Skeleton engage with Tarik. Surprising to find herself pretty calm, she raised her still-loaded crossbow and fired at the Owlbear, though she felt the weapon wouldn't do much more than distract it.


[roll0]

[Greater Cantrip]

Oh, no! Tarik! Odette squeaks when the Owlbear rips into him.

She runs up towards the two of them to get within 30 feet of the owlbear - though no more than that thank you very much - and takes a shot at him.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[ngilop]

Tarik grits as the beast's claws rips through his armor and into his shoulder drawing first blood. He hefts his sword and again swings it broadside into the creatures ribcage, hopefully making contact.

This time he moves to the side a step to allow Vesta to set up a flanking opportunity with him, though Tarik is not sure if such a thing is even advantageous in regards to undead.

Attack:[roll0] (With flanking, if Vesta does not move up then subtract 2)

Damage: [roll1]

AC is back to normal

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash hates the undead. Not in the *I must slay all undead* sense of some people - but in the sensible *undead are are scary, run run* sense. But his kinda-sorta shaky allies seem determined to fail at bringing this particular undead the eternal rest it - presumably - deserves, so he lines up his best shot (no, it's really no better than all his other shots, but he still lines it up).


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] sneak attack dice out of pure spite: [roll2]
Attempt to re-hide: [roll3]


With another impotent *plunk!* the slingstone ricochets off the thick brow of the bear/owl corpse.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta moved into the fray without a word and without hesitation. Tarik had already provoked the undead, allowing her to freely move into a more advantageous position. Keeping her shield held before her, she smashed down at the animated bones with the morningstar.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Move action: Advance into melee; flanking position with Tarik
Standard action: Attack [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] bashing & piercing

[Grimlocked]

As the skeleton's claw drips with blood from its fresh attack, the rest of the party springs into action. Vesta joins the side of her ally, and the rest take their respected positions. Mabel is first to make her presence known as she fires off a bolt from her crossbow. The bolt whizzes through the air, soaring above the skull of the skeleton.

A second bolt whizzes through the air, this one from Odette. The bolt finds its way to its target and smashes into the Owlbear's bare and bony sternum. The bolt pierces through the bone, and gets stuck partway through. The Owlbear twitches slightly at the shot, but remains focused on Tarik before him.

As his shoulder pulses in pain, Tarik turns the blade in his hand and takes a second swing at the skeletal figure before him. The blade whiffs through the air, as Tarik struggles to hold on to his weapon. The blade does however make contact with the altar and sparks scatter in various directions. Powering through the pain, Tarik holds on to his weapon, but the hit to the altar sends a shot up his arm.

Taking the moment of distraction as a cue for action, Rakash emerges from his hiding place and takes another shot with his sling. The stone soars through the air, connecting yet again with the Owlbear's skull, this time with an even louder thud. Rakash then slinks back into his hiding spot.

Watching Tarik fight through his pain, Vesta whips the painful end of her morningstar into the rib cage of the Owlbear. A resounding crack echoes through the chamber as a piece of bone splinters off into the air, landing in a small cloud of dust. Some of the ribs are visibly cracked, but only one has broken.

The Owlbear bellows in pain, causing the earth to shake. After recovering from the vicious hit, the Owlbear stares down at Vesta with darkened eye sockets. It raises its bloodied claw and swings towards Vesta. The sharp talons scratch into Vesta's armor, but fail to break through and deal any real damage. Short red streaks smear onto Vesta's armor as the skeletal beast pulls its claw back in, ready for another powerful swing...

[ngilop]

Tarik unleashes a stream of incomprehensible words (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B12eVCBbGsw) in what you assume to be swearing as his attack whiffs once again. He swings once again into the bone creature, despite the tingling in his arm.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette cheers when Tarik gets a solid hit on the thing.

She has to look down for a second to slot a new bolt into her crossbow, but then she looks up again and tries to duplicate her prior shot;

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Ostara]

Without knowing what else to do to help, Mabel decides to copy Odette, slotting the bolt that she had used to examine the animate hand into the crossbow, raising it and taking a shot at the large skeleton.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Grimlocked]

Tarik takes another powerful swing at the hulking skeleton before him. The blade makes a satisfying crack as it connects with the ribs of the skeleton, breaking off several more bones. The shattered bones spray in every direction, as the skeleton lets out a painful yelp.

After loading her crossbow once more, Odette fires another bolt into the skeleton. It lodges again into the skeleton's sternum, a mere inches above the other bolt.

The skeleton, now looking a bit like a jagged mess of bone, lets out another painful roar. Its roar quickly drops into silence though, as Mabel fires off her second shot. The bolt gracefully soars through the air, eventually finding its home in the skeleton's skull. The skeleton's claws wave wildly for only a moment before it falls in crumpled heap of bone.

As the dust settles around the now dead undead, you find yourselves standing silently in the chamber.


Everyone in the party gets 200xp. Congrats!

[ngilop]

Tarik smiles as the beast finally collapses into a pile of bones "Good job everyone, lets take stock of the situation and gather some information. Any of you know which deity this altar is dedicated too, or what language all that stuff on the walls is written in?" Tarik looks around seeing if there are any other passages off this room.

[Greater Cantrip]

Yeah! We did it!

Odette extends her arm towards Mabel palm out, offering a high-five.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash cautiously pokes his head out of his hideyhole, making sure no other horrors are advancing, before giving up his advantage of being out of sight.

They say the dark, terrible gods of the deep dark below the world have no names - their insatiable hunger gnaws at the bones of the earth, and lusts for the flesh of goblin and giant alike, waiting, watching, always ready to pounce ... he shakes himself, blinks, then goes on ... um, no - I have no idea what that alter is.

[Grimlocked]

Tarik, the one who looks around

Looking around the room, you see the altar in the middle of the room, a pile of shattered bones at your feet, and a decent sizes backpack sitting against the far side of the altar. As you explore the room, you scan the earth walls, but find no passage to continue in. It seems that the way you took to get here is the only way in and out.

[Kaptin Keen]

When no apparent exit presents itself, Rakash wipes his hand in the universal 'job done' manner, and says: Well - that was that then. Let's go home. He even smiles. Goblins maybe shouldn't smile.

He does not, however, move for the exit quite yet - there is still the bag, and the intrigueing possibility of loot.

And the horrible thought that his team mates, if they discover the contents of the bag used to belong to some dirt grubbing town resident, would give them back!

.. maybe I should check the backpack, he decides, it .. might be trapped.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"I don't feel like this has much to do with our little mind-controlling critters. Could it be a coincidence that a person with a hidden shrine was attacked by them?" Vesta hung her weapon from it's loop on her hip and her shield from the hook on the back of her armor.

She nodded in agreement to Rak, taking a few more steps away from the bag.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Ostara]

Mabel returns the high five with a small, breathless laugh.

"We did!" She reloads her crossbow and rehooks it on her belt proudly(well, she misses the loop the first time, then surreptitiously glances around while putting it back properly.) She crouches down, finding the faint glow of the coin that Odette had cast light upon, and hands it back shyly.

While Tarik and Rakash scout the room itself, she devotes more of her attention to the altar itself, though she pauses as Rakash speaks to reply.

"That's really kind of you Rakash. I wouldn't have even thought it might be trapped." She gives the goblin a warm, guileless smile in return to his own, giving the pack a wide berth as she continues to inspect the altar.


Uhhhh Knowledge:religion? :O

[roll0]

[Kaptin Keen]

Crap, thinks Rakash, it might actually be trapped for all I know ...!

Rakash creeps up on the bag as if planning to suddenly stab it, sniffs at it, then incredibly gingerly sneaks it open to peer inside.


I propably have some sort of skill to roll here - hang on.

Ahh - here we are, Rakash officially has a single rank in craft traps. Yay.
Craft (traps): [roll0] - surely one who crafts traps can also detect them, maybe at a slight malus? Ooh, alright:
Search: [roll1] - actually the same modifier. I need more skill points. Or better stats.

Oh, and btw: I bet it's full of severed hands!!

[Grimlocked]

As Mabel examines the rough stone altar, you notice that the markings on the altar match those on the walls. The language is an ancient necromancy magic language, a language dealing specifically with the dead and the underworld. You recognize this as a language seldom used as it summons the dead. In the writing, there are several lines of the poetic silence and peace that death offers. As you continue to read it though, it seems that the tone changes throughout the writing, almost as if it had been written by a different person entirely. The words turn into gibberish, and you can no longer read the nonsensical nonsense.

Rakash examines the bag, and you can sense that something is different about this bag. Perhaps you have seen it before, but you have definitely heard of it. A magical bag that holds far more than it seems to be capable of holding. As you cautiously open the pouch, dirt begins to pour from the bag. More and more dirt pours out, quickly filling the ground at your feet. A few sparkly gold coins sprinkle in the dirt, but a rush of earthen brown continues to pour from the pouch.

Congrats! You are now the proud owner of a beautiful new Bag of Holding!

Inside the bag, you find pounds and pounds of dirt. Digging through the dirt though, you will find 50 gold pieces. Enjoy!

[Kaptin Keen]

Uuummm ... I guess it's just really dirty, remarks Rakash, no good to you fine folk. He dusts off the worn old bag, compares it to his already scuffed and scruffy cloak and leathers.

Looks at home on a goblin, tho ... right?

[ngilop]

"Its something for you to crawl in a hide I guess if it can hold that much dirt." Tarik says jokingly. he adds 'So, what does a secret necromantic shrine, neogi spawn, and the see through guy all have in common?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash - who had hoped he hadn't dug enough dirt out of the bag for anyone to notice - tries to shuffle it away with his foot while looking entirely innocent.

Whaddaya mean, crawl in it? It's just .. just a backpack!

[Ostara]

Mabel frowns at Tarik's choice of words, but speaks to Rakash first instead

"You shouldn't say such things Rakash. You're a member of the guard as much as any of us. If you want, I can help clean your cloak and new pack later."

She frowns at the altar, lips moving as she follows the strange markings, carefully without touching them herself. She pulls an inkpen and paper out, blotting the ink into it and setting it down carefully in front of the altar. Lifting her hands, she casts smoothly, and the pen leaps up, hard at work copying down the markings on the altar and wall. Dusting her hands, she glances at the others.

"So I don't know what this has to do with neogi, but it's definitely where some of the undead have been coming from- the markings are necromantic inscriptions. It's...weird though. It turns to nonsense after a while.

[Greater Cantrip]

I expected there to be more down here, for some reason Odette admits. She holds the coin aloft so that it continues to shed light. Like, a portal to another world?

She sounds vaguely disappointed that there is not.

Barsabbas made it sound like there would be a portal to another world...

[Grimlocked]

Mabel reads the words softly, mouthing out strange foreign words. After reading out and eventually losing track of the carved out words, all is quiet in the chamber, save for Odette. Mabel turns to set the inkpen and paper before the altar, and the letters on the altar begin to glow in a light blue hue. The letters on the wall begin to do the same, giving off the same light blue glow. The altar begins to shake, and the sound of a stone rubbing against stone fills your ears.

On the opposite side of Odette, a small portion of earth and stone has lifted, creating a tunnel about the size of a normal doorway.

[Greater Cantrip]

Yeah, like that!

Odette gets close enough to peer down the tunnel.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash makes a face.

I suppose you'll want me to scout this one too?

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta sighed and retrieved her morningstar and shield again. "I swear Odette, your imagination conjures these things into happening like some crazy archmage."

"How in the world is anything like this in here? I'd expect cults and such in the city, but here..." The woman put on a tough front, but she obviously had a hard time fathoming the reason behind so much strange activity in the sleepy shanty-town where she had grown up.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Move - Draw weapon / shield.

[ngilop]

Tarik takes the lead "You have done enough Rakash, besides who knows what lies beyond.. It might be another massive bear owl skeleton." Tarik moves forward into the now exposed tunnel in a readied stance he says to Vesta quietly "A small town like this is the perfect place to hide I would think. For the very reasons you have stated."

[Grimlocked]

Tarik steps into the darkened tunnel, but the further in you go, the darker it gets. As you step further into the tunnel, you become enveloped in the darkness. The lack of lighting makes it difficult to see, and eventually you struggle to even see your hand before your face.

Looking in after Tarik, Rakash can get a clear view of the tunnel before them thanks to his ability that grants him vision in the dark. The tunnel stretches a fair distance, roughly 20 feet, before disappearing around a turn to the right. You watch as Tarik wanders further and further towards the turn.

[Greater Cantrip]

Oh, Tarik! Here.

Odette presses the coin - which will continue to shed light like a torch for a few more minutes - into his hand.

She fishes a second one out of her purse and casts the spell again. It illuminates her 'I'm helping!' grin.

[Kaptin Keen]

A look of endearing relief crosses Rakash's features: Really?! Ok then - good luck.

He watches in some surprise as the brave human stumbles into the dark. Really, heroics. Tsh.

[Ostara]

"Oh, well. That seems awfully convenient" Mabel smiles cheerfully as the doors open, leaving the inkpen scratching away for now.

At Vesta's words she frowns thoughtfully. "I don't think Odette's an archmage Vesta, but there's tons of examples of divine favors and the like." She nudges the owlbear skeleton's skull with her foot thoughtfully, and studies the doorway opened intently, wondering just how Odette had gotten it to open like that.

"It has an owl head, so it's an owl bear, not a bear owl." Her voice drifts down the passage after Tarik.

[Kaptin Keen]

Is it signified by the head then? Hm, I would have thought you went by mass - that, since the majority of the bulk of it is bear-like, it would be a bear-owl. Right, it's a type of bear with the head of an owl.

Rakash finds the discussion of semantics fascinating. Semantics are safe and unthreatening. He does, however, move down the corridor after Tarik. After all, the human is going to attract all the attention, and there might be loot.


Move silently: [roll0]
Hide: [roll1]

[Greater Cantrip]

If the party starts moving into the darkness Odette reloads her crossbow, then takes up position somewhere in the middle where everyone can benefit from the light she is shedding.

[ngilop]

Tarik takes the coin and holds it pressed between his fingers on his sword hand. " I have to agree with rakash, it is mostly bear as opposed to owl, So wouldn't bear owl be appropriate?" As soon as anything comes into view that could be an aggressor Tarik drops the coin.

[Grimlocked]

As Tarik leads the way with an illuminated coin fighting back the darkness, a soft scuffling can be heard around the corner. Turning the corner, you find yourselves looking into an enlarged portion of hallway. Still surrounded by earth and stone, this section of the hallway widens to about 15 feet, but remains the same height.

A few feet away, you see a few skeletons, three to be exact, chipping away at the earth with pickaxes. They seem to be working at digging out more portions of the hallway, working tirelessly. As the light works its way towards the skeletons, it catches their attention, and the three skeletons hold up their pickaxes in a threatening manner, staring at Tarik and his glistening coin.

[ngilop]

Tarik lets the coin fall and charges into the skeletons, Swinging his greatsword in a wide arc. This time more prepared to fight fleshless foes.



Attack 1: [roll0]
Damage 1: [roll1]

Attack 2: [roll2]
Damage 2: [roll3]

Steel Wind- allow 2 attacks against different foes, each attack must be a different target. Each attack is resolved separately

AC is 13 for 1 round

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette moves close enough to get a good shot - within 30 feet, and unloads her crossbow at whichever skeleton looks most menacing to Tarik

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Ostara]

Mabel follows along behind Odette, and as the other two move into combat she shifts to get a clear shot closer to the wall. She aims and fires, glad she had remembered to reload beforehand.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Kaptin Keen]

Being pathetically ineffective against undead - and with his loose conglomerate of shaky allies slash propable fellow press ganged doing such an admirable job laying down a hail of fire and blows - he instead readies his shot to fire should anything else present itself.


Held action: Fire at anything not undead that rears it's ugly head.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] minimum 1 plus - potentially - sneak attack: [roll2]
In order to - potentially - achieve sneak attack: [roll3] to Hide. If I haven't already rolled for that. I generally do.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta grunted as she maneuvered around the others and into melee. "You need to buy a hammer if fighting skeletons is gonna become a habit."

She kept her shield held before her as she wielded the morningstar in an attempt to crush and snap animated bones.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Move - Into melee with skeletons
Standard - Attack with morningstar [roll0]
Damage - [roll1] Bludgeoning / Piercing

[Grimlocked]

As the group charges into the trio of skeletons, Tarik is first to raise his blade. With the coin offering just enough light from the ground, the blade gracefully cuts the air, eventually finding its target in the first skeleton. The blade cuts cleanly through the skeleton, slicing it in two. The bones lose their life essence and crumple to the ground. Fueled with the momentum of his kill, Tarik looks to make quick work of a second skeleton. The blade grazes the air around the skeleton, but ultimately misses.

Two bolts whiz past Tarik's head though, hitting the target. The first bolt, from Odette, plants itself into the sternum of the skeleton. The skeleton staggers momentarily, but the second bolt, this one from Mabel, finds its target in the skull of the skeleton. The skeleton falls backward from the momentum of the bolt and lands motionless.

Vesta joins the fight and finds her place before the final skeleton. She swings the spiked ball into the skeleton, but in the momentum finds the morningstar missing its target.

The skeleton stares into Vesta after the missed shot and raises its pickaxe. It swings down void of emotion, but the pickaxe falls just beside you, grazing your armor and doing no damage.

The dimly lit hallway continues in chaos as the skeleton slowly prepares itself for a second attack.

[Ostara]

Mabel points her crossbow down and braces it against her legs to reload, keeping her breath steady despite the excitement of having felled not one, but two skeletal foes by crossbow bolt today! She spares Odette a grin and a thumbs up, even as she props the crossbow back to her shoulder and fires at the lone remaining skeleton.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta regained her balance and swung the morningstar again. Using the shield as a weapon, she swung it in an arching motion while able to keep it before her to block an incoming blow. Her battle tempo was slow and steady, the skeleton did not seem to pose much threat as long as it remained focused on her.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Full Attack - Attack with morningstar [roll0] || Shield Bash [roll1]
Morningstar Damage - [roll2] Bludgeoning / Piercing || Bash Damage [roll3] Bludgeoning

[Grimlocked]

In the dim glow, the pickaxe glistens.

A bolt whistles through the tunnel, planting itself firmly into the sternum of the skeleton. It staggers before Vesta as she swings her morningstar in. The morningstar smashes into the ribs, sending a shower of bones across the tunnel floor. The remaining bones smash into the tunnel wall and crumbles into the ground.

As the final skeleton falls, a hush echoes through the enlarged tunnel.

200 xp for everyone! Also, if you want them... there are three pickaxes available as well.

[Greater Cantrip]

These things aren't so tough! Odette chimes. She reloads her crossbow.

Do you guys want to keep going? Only I'm a little nervous about going too far because I can only do that she indicates the glowing coin dropped at Tarik's feet like, maybe four times per day? And my lantern and oil are all back at the watch house.

[ngilop]

Tarik picks the coin back up "We should explore till the end, last thing I think any of us want is a bunch of undead coming up and attacking the town at night when everybody is asleep and defenseless." He begins to makes his way, cautiously further into this underground place.

[Kaptin Keen]

It .. glistens? Ponders Rakash, who is functionally just a green-skinned, humanoid magpie. Pickaxes are by their very nature the least glittery of things. Who knows.

He picks up a pickaxe, and stuffs it in his backpack.

[Ostara]

"I can cast Light once more today as well, which gives us a bit more time." Mabel offers helpfully as she mimics Odette by reloading her crossbow. She decides to pick up a pickaxe as well- If Rakash was doing it, he might have a good reason. And besides, someone might trip over this one in the dark otherwise.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash, brimming with the feeling of importance, beams a smile at Mabel (still unwise), and offers: You like shiny things too? I can carry your for you - plenty of space in my backpack.


Not entirely happy - I had the perfect picture for it, once. But then new harddisk, and so on ...

https://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/168/d/2/d2c547a0904d701905a11b66c07f6847-d53such.jpg

[Ostara]

"Oh. Thank you Rakash. Are you sure? I don't want it to be too heavy." She hands over the pickaxe without worry, honestly glad that it wasn't weighing her down. "I didn't want anyone to trip over them one the way back" She tries to explain, offering him the third one as well and, if he refuses, to prop it up against the wall of the tunnel instead of across the floor. "Though I guess shiny things are nice." She murmurs thoughtfully, thinking of the many arcane items she'd watched enviously from her seat in an academy classroom.

[Kaptin Keen]

Oh it's fine, he goes on, I'm much stronger than I look. He flexes one pathetically underdeveloped bicep in illustration.

[Greater Cantrip]

Well. Let's keep going then.

Protecting everyone in town from undead was a good idea.

[Grimlocked]

The three picks are all Masterwork quality. They are pickaxes, but will have the same stats as a Light Pick.

With the coin lighting the way, Tarik leads the way deeper into the tunnel. The earth walls narrow again to their previous size and continues for a few steps. After trudging through, you find yourselves in another room. This room is smaller than the previous room, but its what's inside the room that is... different.

Piles and piles of bones fill the room, some from human, some from other beings. The countless piles of bone rest in disorganized piles all along the walls, some even spilling out towards the center of the room. The bones do not seem to be connected in a skeletal fashion, but rather just seem to be a collection of random bones.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Adjusting her grip on the morningstar after smashing the last skeleton, Vesta nodded in agreement with the others to proceed. "We need to know where this goes and what lies beyond. Nothing good can come from tunnel directly into the heart of the village."

"Careful, could be a trap." Vesta whispered as she took point with Tarik upon entering the room filled with bones. Glancing toward their intrepid goblin companion, she made a hand motion for him to search quietly.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash looked about the room, not even bothering to suppress a shiver. Eww .. he muttered, piles of dead guys. And .. stuff.

Keeping low and staying quiet, Rakash snooped around the room, ready to bolt at the slightest rattle of bone against bone.


So ... Rakash is sneaky, but otherwise basically inept at scouting. Regardless, here goes.
Hide: [roll0]
Sneak: [roll1]
Spot: [roll2]
Search: [roll3]
Listen: [roll4]

With rolls like these .... obviously there's not a damned thing in here =D

[ngilop]

Tarik takes a look at the scattered piles of bones and steps to Mabel "So, I am thinking that this is some kind of a bones storage supply room. So whoever these necromancers are have the materials they need to make their army. Namely a donkey load of skeletons to animate. Does that sound likely to you? If so, would smashing the bones help us in denying them their necessary material"

[Greater Cantrip]

But Odette starts, the first word she has spoken since she entered the room. She keeps her hand over her mouth even when she talks

But what if some of these were people? - the question comes off a little funny because clearly most of the bones here are humanoid.

What if there are bones here of people from town? What if they have loved ones who think they are missing and are waiting for them to come back? Surely they deserve, like, a funeral? Right? She looks to Vesta for confirmation.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash sends his chatty companions a glare of such icy disdain it could make a bonfire catch a cold.

Trying to be sneaky here, he hisses through clenched teeth, and anyways, they're just bones, they don't care either way. Though their families might.

[Grimlocked]

Rakash boldly steps into the bone-filled room. As he disappears into the shadows, his eyes scan the littered bones, his eyes are met with the darkened and empty eye sockets... wait.

In one of the piles, a pair of narrow green eyes blink back from one of the skull. The pile remains motionless, but you can hear the very quiet scuffling of bones shifting in the pile. With the blinking eyes drawing your attention, you can a slimy and scaled body writhing its way through the bones.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash very, very quietly, slowly and carefully creeps away - never taking his eyes off the pile of bones the creature is in. He has the big, unblinking eyes of a terrified deer, and when he reaches the others, he slowly backs past them out the chamber, whispering:

We've stumbled upon the bone hoard of a barrow dragon. Flee whilst ye still may, oh foolish mortals, for a devout servant of the dark powers suffering and terror beneath the earth claims this chamber.


When the others will - foolishly - fail to heed his warning:
Initiative: [roll0]

[Greater Cantrip]

... a what?

[ngilop]

"A creature of such terror and power it only exists in Rakash' mind. But, there is something moving amongst those bones." Tarik moves closer to the whatever it might be, ready to swing if something jumps out at him.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash walks a few steps behind Tarik, apeing his movements and speech: A creature of such terror and power it exists only ... pfft! He turns back to the others.

A barrow dragon is a harbinger of the Undergods. It exists to punish the faithless, and those who foolishly stray into the light - and it collects their bones in hoards like this one. It's terrible breath weapon rots the flesh of unbelievers, and it's mere gaze can paralyze a man with fear.

Despite his words, Rakash moves off to the side, getting ready to support Tarik should a fight break out.


Hide: [roll0]
Sneak: [roll1]

Initiative: [roll2]

Attack: [roll3]
Damage: [roll4] still minimum 1, sneak attack if this is a living, sneak attackable thing: [roll5]

[Grimlocked]

The lit coin offers some vision as Tarik steps deeper into the bone-filled room. Knowing full well that something awaits him in a pile of bone, Tarik approaches the pile with caution.

Good thing too.

The pile of bones bursts, and bones scatter in every direction, as a large viper stands tall where the pile of bones once sat. A skull rests on the head of the viper like a helmet as it stares down at Tarik hissing and straightening tall over Tarik. With its focus on the man before it, the serpent prepares for a potent strike.

[Greater Cantrip]

It's a barrow dragon! Odette squeaks in fear.

She raises her crossbow and shoots at the thing.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Kaptin Keen]

It's a barrow dragon! Odette squeaks in fear.

EEeep! Barrow dra .. wait, actually that looks more like a Skull Fiend. Careful, Tarik, if it is a Skull Fiend, it's just 'riding' the viper.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta didn't pay much heed to the goblin's warnings. She needed to get the massive serpent to focus on her. Charging forward, she clanged the morningstar against the shield, hoping to provoke it's attention and allow the others to position freely.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Full Round - Charge (ac 17) [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Ostara]

"Ah? I agree with Odette. It wouldn't do to just smash all these bones just cause. It's strange they're all just in piles though. Maybe it's not a necromancer at all, just a creature that does so spontaneously? " Mabel frowns at the pile of skeletons, though she's stalled from checking them more closely as Rakash and Tarik move to poke through the bones.

"Be careful you two! I don't think I have anything that'd work on a dragon prepared today. Maybe that's what happened with the man in the house? He was attacked by this barrows dragon!" She gives a small yelp as the bones near her feet shift and lifts her crossbow to fire along with Odette.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[ngilop]

Tarik is taken aback a bit when the serpentine creature jumps at him, his instinctively reacts and swings. He then moves to allow a flanking maneuver with Vesta and swings again.


Readied Attack/Damage: [roll0]/ [roll1]

Regular Attack/Damage: [roll2]/ [roll3]

[Grimlocked]

The large skull-wearing viper stiffens as it prepares for an attack.

Its focus is diverted though, as a bolt whizzes through the air. The bolt skids off the skull, firmly planting into the earth behind. The viper looks over to Odette and a hiss echoes through the chamber. Vesta draws the attention of the viper though, as she clangs her morningstar. The clanging overtakes the hissing noise and Vesta swings her morningstar into the viper. The morningstar misses just wide of the animal.

Mabel is next to take action though, as she shoots off another bolt at the viper. The bolt goes wide of the viper, whizzing through the air and landing into the earth with a dull thud.

Watching his companions take their shots at the viper, Tarik drops his lit coin and steps into the viper and his blade swings powerfully into the air. The blade misses the viper, cutting nothing but air.

After watching the party miss their shots, the viper still has its focus on Vesta though, and in a flash, it strikes. Its head flies into Vesta's direction, but its fangs plant firmly into Vesta's shield.

The viper retracts and stiffens again, readying for another attack.

[Greater Cantrip]

Leave Vesta alone, you bully! Odette shouts, her fear momentarily forgotten in her indignation.

She slots another bolt into her crossbow and fires again.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta smirked. Things couldn't have worked out any better. Well, they could have if her attack had actually landed. Any attacks actually landed, for that matter. The important thing was that the snake was focused on her. She swung both the shield and morningstar in practiced arcs, keeping her position defensive.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Full Attack - Morningstar [roll0] / Shield Slam [roll1]
Damages - Morningstar [roll2] / Shield [roll3]

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash, still unsure whether this is a Skull Fiend or a Barrow Dragon, pops out of hiding, fires a stone from his sling, and attempts to hide himself again.


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] minimum 1, plus sneak attack: [roll2]

Ducking back into hiding: [roll3]

[Ostara]

Mabel does much the same as Odette, her crossbow thunking as she pulls it back to reload.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Grimlocked]

As Tarik takes a moment to catch his breath, Odette yells at the skull-wearing viper as a bolt shoots from her bow. The bolt whizzes through the air, breaking the silence, but soars over the viper's head. It clatters off a rock, and bounces to the ground on the far side of the room. The viper does not have time to notice the missed shot, as Vesta steps forward, eager to get a shot in with her morningstar. The weapon comes at the Viper, but Vesta fails to connect with the wiry viper yet again. The morningstar and shield both hit nothing but air, as they whoosh through the air.

From his hiding spot, Rakash emerges only momentarily. He fires off a sling in a hurry, eager to return to his hiding spot. The shot flies through the air, going a bit high and hitting the earth roof above the viper's head. Before the viper has a chance to notice the source of the shot, Rakash is gone in the shadows again.

After seeing Odette fire off a second round, Mabel is quick to follow up with a shot of her own. The bolt rides a line straight into the body of the viper, lodging itself firmly in the viper's narrow midsection. The viper lets out a painful hiss, and shakes its head furiously as it looks at the various party members.

After looking at the party members, the viper sets its gaze on Vesta, who still stands strong before it. The viper lunges forward, planting its long fangs into Vesta's left shoulder. As Vesta feels a burning sensation in her shoulder, the viper retracts and straightens itself as it prepares for another attack.

You will be taking 4 points of damage and must make a Fort Save (DC 11).

[ngilop]

Tarik swings his sword at the distracted viper, hoping he will connect third times the charm... or so they say.

Attack/Damage: [roll0]/[roll1]

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash continues to rain supporting fire down - not on, but in the near vicinity of - their monstrous foe.


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] plus sneak attack: [roll2]
Hide: [roll3]

[Ostara]

Mabel doesn't take the time to even see if her bolt has hit before she's drawing back on her crossbow again-her arms were already tired from all the times she's had to pull to reload it today! She lifts it, aims, and fires once again.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette stays right where she is. She fires her crossbow, then reloads it again.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Vesta sucked in a sharp breath as she felt the fangs punch through a joint her armor. She gritted her teeth as she felt the burn of venom seep into her arm. Whether she could resist the effects or not mattered little at the moment. It was obvious that this fight needed to end sooner than later based on the amount of damage the viper could inflict.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Fort vs Poison [roll0]
Full Attack - Morningstar [roll1] / Shield Slam [roll2]
Damages - Morningstar [roll3] / Shield [roll4]

[Grimlocked]

As he watches Vesta take a massive bite from the viper, Tarik is snapped back into the moment and swings his blade with an angered force. The blade cuts through the air, missing as the viper shimmies itself around the blade. As the snake dodges the work of the blade, a small stone soars through the air courtesy of Rakash. The viper fails to notice the stone, as it flies a few feet above its head and clatters itself into a small pile of bones.

Mabel and Odette eagerly fire off their bolts in a beautiful harmony. The bolt-shooting duo fire off their bolts, and you watch as the bolts hum through the air. The bolts cross paths in the air, colliding a few feet short of the viper. The bolts lose their momentum immediately and fling off in opposite directions, landing in two different piles of bones.

Vesta feels the burn of the bite, but the sting of poison fades immediately. With a newfound focus, Vesta swings her morningstar and shield at the viper. With her shoulder burning in pain from the recent bite, she finds her arms faltering just enough for both her weapons to hit the air and falling short of the towering viper before her.

Seeing Vesta struggle before it, the viper lunges forward into her. With its mouth wide open, the viper finds its path blocked once again by the pesky shield. A loud thud echoes in the room, and a few bones shake and rattle across the room. The viper retracts and straightens itself, preparing for yet another hard and painful bite.

[ngilop]

Tarik is aggravated at how poorly he has done so far. the only decent swing he has managed to get off was against stumpy, or whatever the dwarf's name was. He hefts his sword and lunges into another strike, hoping this time it connects.

Attack/Damage: [roll0]/[roll1]

[Greater Cantrip]

Work you stupid thing! Odette yells at her crossbow, frustrated with it.

She fires it

[roll0]
[roll1]

then reloads

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash, feeling the weight of battle shift, fires his sling again.


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] plus sneak attack: [roll2]

Re-hide: [roll3]

[Ostara]

Mabel stomps her foot in frustration, then angrily reloads and fires again- taking a half second to let Odette fire first.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

The heavily armored woman breathed a sigh of relief. The struggle was still very much real, but being able to resist the injected venom and block the follow-on attack gave her a bit of hope. She brought her spiked morningstar and shield to bear once again.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Full Attack - Morningstar [roll0] / Shield Slam [roll1]
Damages - Morningstar [roll2] / Shield [roll3]

[Grimlocked]

As the viper towers over Vesta, hissing in a tauntful manner, Tarik feels frustration as the viper has toyed with the party for far too long. He grips his blade tightly and slices it into the viper with great force. The viper attempts to dodge the blow, but fails as the blade cuts through its midsection, tearing it into two pieces. The viper's hissing goes silent immediately, as a pool of crimson begins to form in the center of the room.

For good measure, Odette, Rakash, Mabel, and Vesta get shots in on the dead creature, taking out their frustrations after a painfully vicious battle. After Vesta lands the final blow, the viper is left in a tattered mess of snake, hardly recognizable anymore.

The room falls silent, as the party is left alone with a snake's corpse and multiple piles of white bones. As the silence takes over, the light on the coin burns out, leaving the party in pitch black darkness.

Congrats! You all now have enough XP to level up to level 2!

Edit- the light spell on the coin has expired!

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Unless someone brought another light source, I think a tactical withdrawal is best. Rakash can see to lead us back, if we all hold each other. We can collect our gear and give Eldred a report."

Vesta snorted at their predicament. "So excited to go down a hole, I never even bothered to think about retrieving my pack from the barracks. Definitely a rookie move..."


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Ostara]

"Just a moment!" Mabel calls out a little too loudly. There's a brief scrabble, and after a brief, arcane word spoken light floods the room again. Mabel stands in the center of the new source's glow, smiling proudly and holding her own glowing copper piece.

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette claps for Mabel. Oh! Good job!

I was saving this for an emergency, but if we're heading back anyway I guess I should use it. She reaches out and touches Vesta with a spell, healing her friend's wounds.

[roll0]

[Kaptin Keen]

Yay - victory! Mumbles Rakash, clearly not pleased with his contributions - nor, to be frank, with everyone else's.

He will, however, pick up the bone crown, peering at it curiously. All things considered, there's no reason he might not be right, and it's cursed with the long dead soul of some lost and forgotten king. Before his inner eye, Rakash sees endless hordes of black-clad soldiers, marching in step. He sees burning villages, suffering and disease spread across the land.

Pfft, propably not, he thinks to himself, and pops it on.

Behold, peasants! Bow before King Rakash, Lord of the World Below - bow, or perish beneath my iron boot!

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Thanks Odette. Seems like everyone else is no worse for wear. Let's press on and make the most out of Mabel's light while we can."

Vesta drew her sword from the scabbard in place of the morningstar and began wading through the bones to see if there was another tunnel leading out of this chamber.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Grimlocked]

As Mabel casts the spell on the coin, the room is immediately lit with the bright glow of her spell. As the spell brings the room into view for everyone (except Rakash... who was able to see either way), the massacred viper still rests in motionless pieces, and the piles of bones remain still. Also, everyone can now see Rakash as he spins around the room wearing an oversized skull, giving him a ghastly appearance.

Vesta feels a warm rejuvenation run through her body as Odette casts a healing spell. With a new burst of energy, Vesta makes her way to a random pile of bones, eager to continue deeper into the underground. As she digs through the bones, she finds that there is no doorways or hidden doorways to go deeper. As she continues rummaging through the bones however, she does come across a small chest. The chest is made up of charred wood with small fragments of bone attached for decoration.

[Kaptin Keen]

Loot!

Rakash instantly forgets about his ploy to convince the rest of the group he's been possessed by some evil force inhabiting the crown - at the same time forgetting that he's wearing it.

That could be trapped, you know? Want me to take a look?

[Ostara]

"We should have about ten minutes of light. At the worst we could just have Rakash guide us out slowly the way we came though." Mabel chimes in helpfully.

"If Rakash doesn't mind the extra work saving us." Mabel laughs softly.

[Greater Cantrip]

Gah!

Odette yelps and clings to Tarik's arm, putting him between herself and King Rakash, Lord of the World Below.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"This looks like the end of the cave... unless Mabel is able to magic up some kind of hidden door again, so you might as well check it." Vesta stepped back from the chest and focused her attention on the walls to see if something like the alter was hidden in this chamber too.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Search - [roll0]

[ngilop]

Tarik just looks at Odette and after a few awkward seconds of silence smiles "No need to be scared of rakash, after all he is more scared of you. Just remind him that you are one eighth elven." Tarik attempts to do a stealthy wink at the last part so Odette can get the hint.

[Grimlocked]

As Odette shrieks in terror at the sight of Evil Dark Lord Rakash, Vesta turns her attention to the walls surrounding everyone. She runs her fingers across each stone, eyes scanning for any sign of another secret passage. After a thorough inspection, nothing looks like it could part of another secret passageway; the walls are rough earth and rock all the way around.

With Mabel clutching her lit copper coin, Rakash stares at the small chest before him. The chest casts a long shadow from the copper light as it sits silently before Rakash. As Rakash approaches, the chest pops open. The room falls silent as the treasures inside await the eager Rakash. Gold coins reflect the light from the copper coin, giving the chest a soft glow. Resting on top of the coins, a tightly rolled scroll, similar to the one Tarik found earlier, sits.


50 Gold Coins! And a scroll!

[Kaptin Keen]

Gah!

Rakash beams, clearly immensely pleased with his own joke. Worry not, fair maiden, he gives a small bow, the crown isn't really cursed. I think.


Tarik just looks at Odette and after a few awkward seconds of silence smiles "No need to be scared of rakash, after all he is more scared of you. Just remind him that you are one eighth elven." Tarik attempts to do a stealthy wink at the last part so Odette can get the hint.

Rakash hisses briefly a Tarik - then cautiously creeps up on the chest ... vanishing behind cover almost too fast for the naked eye to follow as it pops open of it's own accord. Peering over a pile of bones, he exclaims gold! and leaps on it, remembering at the last moment that he'll have to share it with the others. His ears sag.

[Ostara]

"Oh! A scroll. May I see it Rakash?" Mabel's eyes light up in a similar way to Rakash's own, though fixated firmly on the thick vellum scroll resting atop the gold instead.

[Kaptin Keen]

Looks like gibberish to me, mutters Rakash, as he hands over scroll to Mabel.

[Ostara]

Mabel plucks the scroll out of Rakash's hands will poorly-concealed excitement. She thinks a moment, looking at the coin in her left hand and the scroll in her right, then hands the coin up to her familiar, still hanging by her hat-brim. Batholomew clutches the coin between wings and teeth, lifting it higher to keep the room well-lit and shutting his eyes from the brightness.

"It could just be gibberish. But if it's gibberish it'd be pretty expensive paper to waste for it. If it's a spell I can learn I can copy it into my spellbook." Mabel is practically hopping from foot to foot with excitement.

If left alone, she'll start to spread the scroll out right then and there and decipher the scroll for a minute, muttering a quick cast of read magic should no one stop her.

[Grimlocked]

Rakash is more than happy to hand over the scroll, and Mabel is more than happy to receive it. With Bartholomew now holding the copper coin light, Mabel takes the opportunity to look over the scroll, eager to understand its contents.

At first, the markings seem foreign and out of place, little more than scribbles and a waste of good parchment. As you begin to channel your understandings of the magic language, the scribbles turn to symbols which turn into a coherent sentence. Reading over the spell, you learn that this scroll is for the spell Animate Dead.

[Ostara]

"Oh dear-Well it is an interesting spell but I don't think I'll ever use it." Mabel frowns as she ties the scroll up tight, and with far more care and caution than normal tucks it into her bag.

"It does explain where all the skeletons came from though."

Didn't someone find another scroll somewhere in the house/underground? :O Now might be a good time to pass it to Mabel since she has read magic up :P

[Kaptin Keen]

Wasn't that the one that opened the secret passage under the altar? Rakash seems to remember something to that effect, so he answers, absentmindedly.

It's weird, isn't it? Who'd want to dig this whole place, and hide it behind a secret passage, just to hide ... well, basically nothing. Bones and a snake. Unless the snake is the mastermind behind it all?! Rakash removes his crown, peers at it curiously, then pops it in his backpack. One day I'll build a giant lair, miles of corridors filled with traps and deadly enemies - but it will hold something of value, otherwise, what's the point?

Such pondering will eventually give Rakash a headache, so he drops the topic, and starts poking around in the piles of bones.

Say - you think all of these were villagers? I mean ... the human ones?

[Greater Cantrip]

When fighting doesn't break out between Evil Dark Lord Rakish and the rest of the party Odette realizes it was a joke (a solid 60 seconds after the rest of the party) and takes her arms from around Tarik's. When he winks at her she blushes.

... Sorry she murmurs, looking at her hands. But. Like. It might have been possessed. I wouldn't have known. Magic stuff is all weird.

[ngilop]

Tarik smiles at Odette. "Better to be safe than sorry"
He walks over to the bones kicks a few just to be sure and shrugs "Who knows where all these bones are from, seems like the see through skin man was involved in things he should not have been."

[Kaptin Keen]

You know what?

He couldn't have done all this with a single scroll. There has to be an actual spellbook somewhere.

[Ostara]

Mabel opens her mouth to respond to Odette - Magic stuff isn't weird! But gets sidetracked by Rakash's statement.

Oh! Yes, that's a good point. The scroll is at least proof this is a necromancer, not just a creature that can raise the dead spontaneously. We should definitely find their spellbook in that case- it would make it hard to make more scrolls like this one." Mabel's eyes glint with just a hint of greed and excitement at the prospect of raiding some ne'er-do-well's spellbook. Stopping a danger to the townfolk- and finding new, interesting mysteries to add into her own spellbook? It'd be a dream come true if it didn't involve the giant pile of bones sitting underneath a villager's house.

[Deadguy]

https://i.pinimg.com/170x/d4/61/63/d4616323c96b0844806f649ca71ff388.jpg
Vesta Pyralis
Discordant Daughter

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"So we head back out then." Vesta sheathed her blade and started to move back the way they had come before pausing in thought.

"Should we try to collapse this place? It could be useful as a safety shelter for the villagers and supplies if we ever come under attack..."


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Full Round Action - start heading back to exit

[Kaptin Keen]

I'll just wait outside while you do the collapsing, replies Rakash, scurrying off quickly. Being buried alive is not on the goblin's itinerary for today.

[Grimlocked]

Vesta and Rakash lead the way out of the lair and back into the vibrant world above.

As you make your way out, you find yourselves back in the shack of the sickly individual; things are not as vibrant as you had hoped. Instead, you are surrounded by peace and darkness, as night has fallen on Ro.

[Greater Cantrip]

OK. So. Now we report to Uncle Eldred Odette declares in a tone that books no argument. She sets out towards the guard house, expecting to see Eldred and Fido safe and sound.

[Kaptin Keen]

Hm ..... Ponders Rakash, as he slowly falls behind the others. Then disappears.


Rakash will find the highest point he can, hide, and watch - he is pretty convinced it's too soon to report the issue resolved, so he'll just ... have a look.

Hide: [roll0]
Move silently: [roll1]
Spot: [roll2]
Listen: [roll3]

Rakash will pay attention - meaning in so far as possible, he will take 20 on Spot and Listen.

He's not supremely patient, so it's within the realm of reason to suspect he'll lose interest at some point during the night, and either fall asleep or go home. Or to the tavern!! Surely the nightlife in this pitiful excuse for a village is vibrant =)

[Grimlocked]

As the group makes their way back to their barracks under the starry sky, Rakash slips away silently.

Rakash the Lookout

In the darkness, it can be tough to see too much. The shack you just emerged from seems like it could be one of the highest points in the immediate area, so you climb onto the roof one more time. As your eyes scan the town through the night, it seems like Ro is quiet enough. Dumpy the Dwarf is no longer lying unconscious on the ground, and there is no sign of more Neogi. A few villagers wander in and out of the local tavern, and you see the medic from earlier leave the clinic as he leaves for the night, turning off the lights and wandering off towards a small collection of houses, eventually wandering into one of them.

As you watch the rest of your party enter the barracks, you can hear Eldred's snoring from your perch.


Rest of Party


As you all head back into the guard barracks, you find Eldred and Fido snuggled together in Eldred's bed. Eldred snores horrifyingly loud, and Fido wiggles as you open the door, but the two remain asleep and undisturbed. An itchy-looking blanket covers the pair, if barely, and you can see parts of Eldred's armor glisten in the shine of the copper coin.

You all find your packs right where you left them, all clumped together in the center of the room. Of course, the mess of messes still sit exactly where they were before as well, as it seems like all the clutter remained untouched, or perhaps even reproduced, as you ventured through the day. The copper coin begins to flicker out, sending you all back into darkness once again as the spell wears out.



When you are all ready to proceed on to the next day, just let me know, but feel free to interact and explore as you wish!

[Kaptin Keen]

All alone in the quiet darkness, Rakash is for many long moments fiercely concentrated on his task: He watches, um, watchfully over the town, determined to divine some deeper controlling force behind the events.

Then, as seconds stretch into a few moments, his mind wanders. For a while, he considers the cave they found, and imagines creating his own lair there, thronging with clever goblins, devious traps and piles of gleaming treasure. He soon realises the town is almost certainly not rich enough to provide said piles of treasure.

Moving on, he uses his spear-tip dagger to scratch his name into the wood of the small shack. Then, he tries to add a picture of a goblin gleefully calling down lightning upon the heads of a large group of giants. However, his artistic talents do not quite match his vision.

Finally, he simply falls asleep - and dreams of sleeping in a bed, rather than on the roof of a tumble-down shack.

[Greater Cantrip]

Odette doesn't bother with a coin this time. Instead she casts the spell right on one of the bed posts.

She scratches Fido behind the ear and tells him good boy in the tone universally reserved for cute animals and babes.

Then she puts both hands on Uncle Eldred's back and shoves as hard as she can, intending to wake him with a jolt by rolling him off the bed.

Officer Odette reporting in she lilts once Eldred is groggily pushing himself up off the floor.