Carrion Crown: The Haunting of Harrowstone, Pt. II [IC]

[Ason]

Marius allows the others to go first in true gentlemanly fashion. He then selects a spot in the pit where it seems nobody is currently standing, calls out for the others to watch their heads, and then drops his polearm down there in an attempt to avoid hitting anyone. Marius then ensures his shield and other possessions are safely secured so that both his hands are free, and he proceeds to attempt his own climb down.

Spoiler: Rollin, Rollin, Rollin, Climb Checks!

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1. (1d20+5)[15]
2. (1d20+5)[17]
3. (1d20+5)[21]
4. (1d20+5)[11]
5. (1d20+5)[15]
6. (1d20+5)[6]
7. (1d20+5)[18]
8. (1d20+5)[18]

[lostsole31]

Marius makes it down without trouble, followed by Wren, the truest gentleman of the day, who also manages without incident.

Everyone is down below (and wet). You take what time you need to wring out the wet clothes and change into dry, with the exception of Wren who has no other clothes, and now all wet in his ruined clothing he looks truly abysmal, but is otherwise of good cheer.

Wren takes the just-shy of 30 seconds needed to give his little speech on awareness in these here parts. He looks to Hargrimm, "Padre, can you do us the honor of reading from your book before we go to our dark work?"

[SwordChucks]

Hargrimm strokes his beard a moment. "I did forget to do that didn't I. After the loss of my journal, I make it a habit to leave books in my care back at the manor."

[lostsole31]

"No matter, reverend dwarf," says Wren wet, bedraggled, and cheerily. "Your ministrations to us give us the strength we need anyway."

The party goes into the massive central hall no doubt, but then what?

[Tippnick]

"Let's go to the North passage", suggests Zauberei.

[SwordChucks]

Hargrimm nods. "That works for me. One way is as good as another if we're planning to check everywhere eventually."

[BuckGodot]

Alexandru agrees.

[Ason]

After changing into dry clothes and drinking his customary ant haul extract, Marius turns and notices Zauberei is somewhat encumbered by the things he is carrying.

He attempts to pull the mage aside to earnestly offer, "Zauberei, I just drank a dose of an infusion that could also lighten your load. It makes me feel like I have the back of a man thrice my strength. How about I mix up a bottle for you as well before we explore in earnest?"

Once any extract-making is done, depending on Zauberei's response, Marius then reequips his polearm and shield before indicating he is ready to proceed. "If north seems wise to you, then north it is friends.."

Spoiler: OoC

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Assuming Zauberei accepts, Marius takes one minute to mix an Ant Haul infusion and then gives it to Zauberei. If he declines, then no infusion making is required, unless someone else requests an ant haul.

[Tippnick]

"I have that spell available and if survival comes to down to it I will drop the backpack", Zauberei turns down the extract.

[Ason]

"Oh, okay. If you ever change your mind, let me know," Marius replies, "So... let's get going north then, right?"

At that, Marius gingerly creeps toward the northern exit to peek around the corner and see what is there. If the coast seems clear, he beckons to the others to follow him.

Spoiler: OoC

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I'd like to use stealth and perception for these checks, if possible, but I know those rolls aren't mine to make.

[lostsole31]

Wren is right there with Marius, but it doesn't matter, the voices from discussion carried, and it looks like in a room to the north and west there is some type of torchlight that shows. But out comes ... not a ghost with a ghostly torch or the like ... but something much more horrible. It is a headless skeleton carrying an axe, but the entire skeleton is on fire!

Begin Round One!

R1T28: Angelo, what do you do. You do not have anything in hand right now.

[Moriar]

"Hmm, this one lacks a head," Angelo observes. "That does make it difficult to chat with. Hopefully this helps slow it down and any other friends that it may have."

Angelo steps up and utters arcane words. Soon after an area of shimmering grease appears on the ground up ahead in the hallway.

Spoiler: Grease'em

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Steps 5' to the northeast.

Then casts Grease onto a 10' square (fill up the hallway) 30' north of his position. If it gets the skeleton currently like it seems like or it moves into the greased area the Reflex DC is 16

[lostsole31]

R1T28: "Hmm, this one lacks a head," Angelo observes. "That does make it difficult to chat with. Hopefully this helps slow it down and any other friends that it may have."

Angelo steps up and utters arcane words. Soon after an area of shimmering grease appears on the ground up ahead in the hallway underneath the flaming monster. It is quite agile and manages to keep its footing .... at first.

R1T23: Then, as it tries to actually move, it slips and falls. Instead of trying to stand, it crawls southwards in the grease for a few feet, but is still considered prone.

R1T19: Hargrimm, what do you do?

[SwordChucks]

Hargrimm moves to the east of Wren. Should that give him good enough line of sight to see the creature he calls out "A flaming headless skeleton on the ground!", while he flashes back to the flaming skulls that had appeared in town. He scowls and throws a vortex of light at the thing.

Spoiler: Combat

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Move action: Move 20ft to end up east of Wren.
Standard action: Attack with Banelight Vortices.

Vortex: (1d20+4)[5], (3d6)[11]

[lostsole31]

R1T19: Hargrimm moves to the east of Wren. Should that give him good enough line of sight to see the creature he calls out "A flaming headless skeleton on the ground!", while he flashes back to the flaming skulls that had appeared in town. He scowls and throws a vortex of light at the thing. He misses, and it hits the grease slick, which is somewhat reflective. In addition, there are a lot of exposed quartzite and mica and other reflective chips in the rock walls down here, so his banelight shoots and ricochets all around, just missing his allies on several passes before finally dissipating.

R1T18: Paula squeaks and runs down Marius' leg to the ground so as to note interfere with his movement, doing so out of LOS/LOE of the enemy.

R1T16: Wren looks at the creature, then at the party. "Come on! What the Nine Hells is that!?"

He concentrates on his hand, and a light hammer forms in it! He moves up to the grease slick, ready to pong the monster if it tries to get up.

R1T7: Alexandru, what do you do?

[BuckGodot]

Alexandru moves up to stand next to Wren and assess the enemy before swinging his warhammer to smash down upon the prone creature.

Spoiler: Technical Information

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MA: North 20' to be adjacent to Wren
FrA: Assess

Attack: Using Risky Strike (1d20+6)[11]

Damage: (1d8+6)[9]

Undead Exterminator: +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, & Survival checks when dealing w/ creatures of the undead type
* +2 bonus on weapon attack & damage rolls vs. undead.

[lostsole31]

R1T7: Alexandru begins moving up - dropping his sword and drawing his warhammer - and stands next to Wren, having gone just a little too far to be able to enjoy attacking the monster as well.

R1T6: Marius, you have polearm and shield readied. What do you do?

Zauberei on deck, Angelo in the hole ...

[Ason]

Marius shifts into an offensive stance and zig-zags toward the fiery undead to swing his hammer at it. As he attacks, he mournfully calls out, "For Razvan and Othello!"

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Free: Knowledge check to identify the headless flaming skeleton and any weaknesses/resistances it may have (if I have to pick which knowledge to attempt, knowledge: religion)
Swift: enter Aura of Misfortune stance
Move: 5 feet northwest, 10 feet north so that he is immediately south of Wren
Standard: Risky Strike on flaming undead; attack (1d20+8)[18]; damage (1d12+3)[5]

Note: Marius is now level 4, but I see he has not applied his automatic bonus progression for that level to his equipment according to his character sheet. The next time he is able, Marius will attune his armor and lucerne hammer to make them both +1. I couldn't find a rule on how long it takes to attune to equipment, so I'll defer to you on when that actually happens. I just wanted to put the request into writing sooner rather than later.

[lostsole31]

R1T6: Marius shifts into an offensive stance and zig-zags toward the fiery undead to swing his hammer at it. He bonks into the wall foolishly as a wall is directly northwest of him, but then he continues north. His strange movement means he is unable to attack from his position, and he mournfully calls out, "For Razvan and Othello!"

R1T4: Zauberei, what do you do?

Angelo on deck, Flaming headless skeleton in the hole ...

[Tippnick]

Spoiler: assense first then speak

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Zauberei will assense the creature
If he knows what it is, then he will state
"It is a '*****'", he says.

If he knows how to best harm it he will state
"Use '*****' weapons."
If he he knows it can do some special attack he will state
"It might '****'."

If he does not know what it is he will say
"Not sure what it is but don't use fire to harm it", Zauberei explains unecssarily.

SA: cast magic missile at the creature
(d4+1)[5]
[Roll]d4+1[roll]
EOT

[BuckGodot]

”May explode on impact! Burning Skeleton!”

[lostsole31]

R1T4: Looking from 40' away and past several allies at a burning blob on the ground, Zauberei says, rather unnecessarily, "Not sure what it is but don't use fire to harm it."

He casts a spell, and two arcane bolts slam into the thing for 8 force total.

Alexandru begins shouting, "May explode on ..."

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T28: Angelo, what do you do?

Enemy on deck, Hargrimm in the hole ...

[Moriar]

Angelo steps up and says, "What's that brother?"

Then after uttering an arcane phrase and shoots a beam at the skeleton.

Spoiler: Flipping skeleton

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Steps up 5' to northwest.

Then casts disrupt undead.

Roll to ranged touch hit, (1d6+8)[12]

Damage of (1d6)[6]

[lostsole31]

R2T28: Angelo steps up and says, "What's that, brother?"

Then after uttering an arcane phrase and shoots a beam at the skeleton, but completely misses.

"...impact! Burning Skeleton!” Lexi finishes.

R2T23: The headless flaming skeleton stands. Wren brings his light hammer right down on what would have been the head, but now the top of the spinal column for 6. Marius follows up with the same exact target with his lucerne hammer, also doing 6. The creature steps out of the grease slick. It grazes Wren in the chest with its handaxe for mod 7 and misses with its claw.

R2T19: Hargrimm, you are really having troubles with vision right now, being confused by the multiple attackers against your foe. If you use a ranged attack, you'll suffer additional penalties, or you can attempt a Perception check by using a SA to hopefully clear this issue.

Paula on deck, Wren in the hole ...

[SwordChucks]

Hargrimm backs around the corner blinking furiously. He tries to get his eyes to focus again, straining to hold back the curses he wants to say.

Spoiler: Combat

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5ft step east.
Standard action: Perception check to clear his eyes.

Perception: (1d20+11)[14]

[lostsole31]

R2T19: Hargrimm backs around the corner blinking furiously. He tries to get his eyes to focus again, straining to hold back the curses he wants to say. He is not yet able to get his vision to focus properly.

R2T18: Paula delays ...

R2T16: Wren purposely steps into the greased area, having taken 3 fire from his proximity to the skeleton. He quickly lashes out again with the light hammer to hit the creature in the lower arm bones for 10.

R2T7: Lexi, you take 6 fire from your proximity to the creature. what do you do?

Marius on deck, Zauberei in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Not hesitating, his closed and shy demeanor seems to evaporate when dealing with creatures he knows, Alexandru swings his hammer in a crushing blow to the being.

Spoiler: Technical Information

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Attack using Risky Strike

(1d20+6)[23]

Damage: (1d8+6)[10]

Undead Exterminator (Ex): +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, & Survival checks when dealing w/ creatures of the undead type
* +2 bonus on weapon attack & damage rolls vs. undead.

[lostsole31]

R2T7: Not hesitating, his closed and shy demeanor seems to evaporate when dealing with creatures he knows, Alexandru swings his hammer in a crushing blow to the being, delivering 12 damage to the hip.

R2T6: Marius, what do you do?

Zauberei on deck, Angelo in the hole ...

[Ason]

"Paula, get behind us: watch our backs!" Marius calls out to his lab rat familiar. He then scrutinizes the flaming undead further before hefting his polearm and swinging it again at the burning monster.

Heeding Lexi's advice, Marius backs up after attacking the creature.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Move: Studied Combat on burning skeleton for +2 insight on melee attack/damage rolls for 5 rounds
Standard: Risky Strike on burning skeleton; attack (1d20+12)[29] (includes studied combat + flanking - risky strike); damage (1d12+5)[17] (includes risky strike + studied combat)
Five-Foot Step: south

Immediate (if triggered): Inner Sense for +2 on next save

[lostsole31]

R2T6: "Paula, get behind us: watch our backs!" Marius calls out to his lab rat familiar. He then scrutinizes the flaming undead further before hefting his polearm and swinging it again at the burning monster smashing it and destroying it in a gout of flame before he could back away. Wren and Lexi both knew what to expect, courtesy of Lexi's warning. While they each get burned a little (1 fire), it is better than it might have been.

Combat Over!