TAG. The Adventurers Guild. IC

[Estralita]

Normally, Kara was as cheerful and sunny as you could get. But even she didn't like the look of things in this room. Especially since she hadn't used her magic since waking up, and didn't have much ability to protect herself without it.Sis always told her... told her...something. Something about fighting that she couldn't remember and probably wouldn't help now. She just had to use whatever was available to her and hope things pulled through.

In the mean time, she waited.

[Holy-hunter]

Aelia notices a slight scratching sound back at one of the coffins they passed.

Both Aelia and Kara see signs of a secret door on the wall opposite the cell room.

Greeter innocently queries the purpose of this room.
“What is that cage for?”

[Pyrophilios]

"I'd hazzard a guess and say human sacrifices. Did you never wonder why people only went into the chambers but never came out?"
Lanius looked around with haunted eyes. He wasn't sure why he had felt the urge to come here in the first place. But he certainly wished now he hadn't.

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "Well, I get the feeling that whoever wound up in there wants to get out now." Aelia says and points back at the coffin with the scratching noise. Then she immediately begins trying to open the secret door, as she's pretty sure staying here isn't a great idea.

[Holy-hunter]

Once spotted the thick stone door is easily opened by pressing firmly on a false brick. The wall pulls back a tiny bit before sliding to the side.
From within the small room a skeleton suddenly lashes out at you! You are hit by the smell of death and decay as bones harmlessly fly over you and clatter to the floor.

At first it looks like the chain and collar around its neck is holding it back but then you quickly realise that the chain is holding it up.
All that remains of the skeleton now is it’s lifeless skull attached to its spine and rib cage. But still it moves.
Hauntingly the bones dangling from the metal collar, hovering above the ground, continually rearing back like a snake before violently lunging forth at you.
It remains unable to reach beyond the door due to large bolts fastening the other end to the wall behind it.

It yanks hard on its restraint make a ruckus of clanking metal on metal.
(Perception checks)

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

Show

Perception
Disadvantage
(1d20)[11]/(1d20)[6]+7

"This place is getting worse and worse." Lanius commented after the first shock and adrenaline spike had worn off. Instead he looked around for suitable stones to throw at the skelleton from a safe distance.

[Holy-hunter]

Lanius can not find a single stone in the clean hallway but he can use the skeletons own bones that are scattered about on the floor.

Lanius notices the skeleton still wears a necklace, made from what appears to be a shard of stone attached to a fine linked chain.

Aelia notices a ring in the back corner of the cell that must have fallen off the dead things hand some time ago.


As if responding to the continuing sound of rattling bones and clanking chains the scratching coming from the coffins direction increases

[Estralita]

"Ummm..." Those scratches didn't sound good. Kara started softly tapping on the working drum strapped to her hip. Normally, that would be enough to soothe her nerves and strengthen her resolve. But normally that rhythm sparked the magic within her. Now she only felt a weak echo and a low hum of a tune she didn't recognize.

What- What happened to me here? Where's-

But she shut that thought down. Panic wouldn't help.Figure out what needed to be done, then do it.Simple.
"So... should we run? Fight? I don't suppose either of you know how to teleport, but if you do, that would be a big help."

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Aelia frowns. The sight of a human skeleton was a lot more unpleasant in person than it was depicted in a book. She gave Kara a shrug. It didn't seem like a big threat the way it was restricted, but rather than taking any chances she decided to throw fire at the skull until is broke. Which would hopefully cease it's undeath.

[Holy-hunter]

You throw a few bolts of fire at it and eventually dislodge the skull from the rest of its remains.
The bones fall to the floor and scatter on impact but the chain continues on as before.

[Pyrophilios]

"Looks like the chains itself are animated. Can you target those?" Meanwhile, even Vindariel had noticed the scratching coming from the coffins and looked for rope to secure the coffins more tightly. Whatever was in there, he didn't want to deal with it right now.

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Aelia shrugs again and replies, "I suppose so. Not sure if it'll really do much." and then tries to melt apart the chains with repeated streams of fire.

[Holy-hunter]

Securing the coffins shut would be a trickier task than first thought but becomes irrelevant when a small hole is splinters apart revealing a severed claw-like decaying hand.
It throws itself at Lanius.

(1d20+2)[18] init
(1d20+3)[13] attack

(1d4+1)[5] damage

[Pyrophilios]

Lanius dodged aside more or less on instinct and adrenaline, slashing out with his readied rapier.

Spoiler

Show

Ini
(1d20)[11]+4

Attack
(1d20)[5]+6, damage (1d8)[4]+4, if crit (1d8)[2]

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Aelia whirls around on the new threat and throws fire at the severed hand, trying not to hit Lanius in the process. Spoiler Show Fire Bolt: (1d20+6)[22] damage: (1d10)[5] if crit: (1d10)[7]

[Estralita]

"EEEP!"Kara squeaked, startled by the sudden attack. Then she froze,uncertain what she should do.

Under normal circumstances, she would have started her chant and drumming to give strength to her allies. However, try as she might, she couldn't grasp her magic. And this odd discordant hum inside her was getting louder, pulling at her mind in all directions.

She had tried to ignore it, focus on the positives. The joys of being alive and free despite everything around her. But she couldn't deny it here. Something had happened to her in this place, and her warm, familiar magic was gone, along with her memories, and sister. And there wasn't anything she could do about it! Sis had always said stay out of trouble (or had she?) and now look! Her new friends were in trouble too, and she couldn't do anything!

"Arrgh!"she screamed in frustration, smacking her drum a single time.

But with that single strike, something changed. The indistinct humming broke through her scattered thoughts, coming together for a brief moment of clarity and focus. The tunes became a single piecing note. From that note, a blast of raw power erupted at the creature.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

All this for a single Eldritch Blast. Let's see if it hits.

Attack: (d20+6)[12]
Damage(d10+4)[7]

[Holy-hunter]

Fire and Eldritch energy simultaneously blast the animated dead hand to a final and true state of rest.

”come, keep coming...* a faint dry raspy whisper urges from around the corner and somewhere far.

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

Show

Does that voice come from the secret door or from the regular tunnel?

"Wow. I thought you were a bard or something. What the hells was that?"
Lanius exclaimed.

[Estralita]

"I-I am! I was! I don't know!" The new tune, so different from her old magic, still echoed in her head. She paused, then suddenly rapped her drum. Just as before, a concussive blast erupted,scattering the remains of their attacker.

[Pyrophilios]

"Well, I'm not sure current audiences are ready for that kind of percussive performance."
Lanius replied. "But I'm certainly not complaining - in fact feel free to use this new found gift to take care whatever other undead abominations lurk around here. Like that creepy voice calling us forward."

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Aelia chuckles quite a bit at Lanius' joke and then nods, "Agreed. I don't like that voice one bit."

[Estralita]

"Don't underestimate my audiences. I'm sure back home, something bombastic like that would kill,"Kara replied absently. She stared at her drum for a few seconds, lost in thought and sound, then began rapping it hard. Sure enough,more blasts came from the drum.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Kara's willing to contribute to the chain's destruction. Rolls?

[Holy-hunter]

After a few attacks against the animated chain, the mysterious strained voice echoes once again, this time both from down the hallway and in your head.
“Hurry!” it hisses, frustration and urgency tainting its words. ”Keep coming, you are nearly here.”

Do you continue to attack the chain? (Rolls) or move further along.

[Pyrophilios]

"We have no obligation whatsover to come to you, you creepy as frag, fragging fragger!" Lanius called out to the voice aloud - hoping that he wasn't the only one who could hear it.

A lot less loud he said to his companions: "Let's finish this chain and proceed very much unhurried. Better yet, we could come back tomorrow after a nice sleep and breakfast. I hate it when creepy telepatic voices try to pressure me."

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "Does that happen to you a lot?" Aelia asks, halfway between joking and halfway honestly curious. While she tries to melt an animate chain thing. Spoiler Show Never got an answer on discord so I guess I'll just do about ten rolls and a few extra damage rolls in case of crits. Fire bolts (1d20+6)[22] (1d20+6)[23] (1d20+6)[25] (1d20+6)[25] (1d20+6)[19] (1d20+6)[9] (1d20+6)[25] (1d20+6)[18] (1d20+6)[23] (1d20+6)[21] (1d10)[10] (1d10)[2] (1d10)[10] (1d10)[6] (1d10)[4] (1d10)[2] (1d10)[4] (1d10)[2] (1d10)[9] (1d10)[9] (1d10)[8] (1d10)[3] (1d10)[10] (1d10)[1] (1d10)[5]

[Pyrophilios]

"Definitely more than I like." Lanius replied, leaning against a wall to keep his back free.

[Estralita]

"Me neither, but that's what you get when you go exploring places like this." Kara replied absently. The new tune was fading, but she felt deep within she could call it up again.

Then, abruptly, she spoke again."I'm sorry if I you told me already and I missed it, but why exactly are you two here? And what are we trying to do? Besides leave, of course?"

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "We'd planned to have another wagon of people meet us at this location and we arrived first. The place looked very suspicious above ground, so we began looking around for any dangers we could clear out. For the safety of the group. Though personally, getting to see monsters and strange things and locations is why I joined up. So I guess you could say my reason is because I thought we'd find such things. And we sure have haven't we!?" Aelia replies with a little chuckle.

[Pyrophilios]

"Met and gotten chewed by them, yes." Lanius added.
"But after this I suggest we had back up and call it a day. I've got some bite wounds to tend to."

[Holy-hunter]

Just a few bolts before the chain fell to the floor un-animated, the voice let out a soft groan, (insight 10 to detect its displeasure with your actions). Immediately after a hard scratching and banging caused a coffin lid to burst open as a skeletal torso crawled its way out.

"I told you..." the voice hissed. "Hurry to me."

The interruption happened just before the chain was destroyed.
You see a torso sitting up in a coffin 20 ft away. 10ft beyond that more scratching sounds are coming from one of the other coffins.

Init, insight and any attack rolls.