Crypt of the Everflame IC

[u-b]

Inside, Bast sees a long chamber with risen platforms on either side. A faded painting of Kassen is on the far wall. The room appears to be the site of a gruesome battle, with two bodies piled in the center and a number of skeletons scattered around. Bast berely hears an echoing wail in the distance beyond this chamber. There is no magic in sight.

Spoiler: Alabaster (so far) AND Know (local) 15

Show

These are (or, rather, were) Gerol and Vark, friends of the mayor.

Spoiler

Show

Dead men are lying in L8M9. There are of 8 medium humanoid skeletons lying on the floor and the stairs around them. There are some bags in J5.

[hannahbbug3]

"Oh, no," Bast whispers, stepping back outside the crypt to join the others quietly. "Ah, everyone, bad news. Gerol and Vark... they're dead," he said, bright blue eyes wide with worry and no small amount of fear. He had thought this trip wasn't supposed to be all that dangerous. And yet... "...they're in there."

[rs2excelsior]

Elissa's eyes widen as well. Dead? She'd always sort of figured a lot of the dangers of the crypt were legends to frighten young folks, but, well--she'd known there would be some danger, but being confronted so abruptly with the possibility of death was enough to shake her. But they'd come this far...

"Any sign of-- of what killed them?" She doesn't put her head in to check for herself just yet.

[hannahbbug3]

"I didn't look close enough," Bast confesses, trying to brace himself between the frame of the door and putting both his feet against the heavy stone barring the way in, attempting to use himself as a lever to wrench it open further. "Someone help me with this?" he requested, struggling against the weight.

Spoiler: Aid Another

Show

I highly doubt Bast can make a strength check of 15, so consider this an Aid check for whoever comes to help him get this open! Unless a miracle roll happens...
Strength Check - (1d20)[14]
EDIT: Haaa, so close!

[rs2excelsior]

Elissa slides into the gap in the door and puts her shoulder into it as Bast pulls from the other side.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Strength check: (1d20+3)[7]

Edit: oof

[Queen of Sheba]

The old bones slip from Gwyn's fingers after Bast breaks the unfortunate news, the mystery of why parts of a humanoid skeleton were found under a dead horse no longer seeming important after such ill tidings. "I'm... so sorry," she says to the others, unsure of how well any of them knew the two and thus how deeply they may be affected by the loss. Quietly, Gwyn considers what this turn of events will mean for their mission. Surely the lives lost are more important than completing the town's rite of passage. Then again, perhaps the true measure of one's maturity is the ability to persevere in the face of unforeseen circumstances. Regardless of whatever path her companions decide to take, Gwyn will support them.

With that in mind, the young woman moves to add her rather inconsiderable strength to that of Bast and Elissa's in an effort to wedge the crypt door open.

Spoiler

Show

Strength Check (Aid Another) (1d20-1)[7]

[u-b]

The door does not budge. You try harder and after some huffing and puffing manage to get it open. While you are thus occupied only Gwynvieve notices some quiet, but numerous, rattling coming from the hall beyond. The skeletons lying there around the two dead men... or, more precisely, six out of eight of those skeletons, are no longer just lying. They get on their bony feet before anyone could react, and turn towards you.

Spoiler

Show

Alabaster perception: (1d20+7)[8]
Elissa perception: (1d20+0)[13]
Gwynvieve perception: (1d20+4)[22]

Skeletons init: (1d20+6)[23]
Alabaster init: (1d20+4)[21]
Elissa init: (1d20+2)[3]
Gwynvieve init: (1d20+2)[8]

=> Gwynvieve (surprise round)

[Queen of Sheba]

Gwyn perks up at hearing the sounds of movement over the rumble of the massive stone door sliding across the ground. "Do you hear that?" she asks the two beside her. Then, without waiting for an answer, she calls out, "Hello?... Is anyone still alive in there?" Horror and understanding dawn on the young woman simultaneously as the bones of long-dead Kassenites rise up again. Without taking her eyes off of the undead in front of them, Gwyn turns her head to call out over her shoulder, "Uhh... Phillip? Zion? We could use your help in here."

Gripping her quarterstaff in one hand, Gwyn lays her other on Bast's shoulder. "Be careful. Don't let them surround you two," she says, a small surge of power flowing through her touch at her words.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Casting guidance on Bast.

[u-b]

Rattling, the skeletons all move towards the entrance where there is only enough space for two of them to attack. They do so. Pushed and shoved by the rear ranks they don't even manage to touch neither Elissa nor Bast, but the swings of their bare bone "hands" do seem dangerous enough.

Spoiler

Show

Skeleton vs Elissa: (1d20+2)[10] for (1d4+2)[3]
Skeleton vs Bast: (1d20+2)[13] for (1d4+2)[6]

Assume Phillip and Zion are anywhere north of row 1.

=> Party (everyone, any order)

[Zhentarim]

Zion used her ability to command undead to try to keep the skeletons from attacking, using up one of her uses of negative energy for the day.

"These skeletons were animated with dark magic. Luckily, I am cursed with dark magic as well, as unlikely as I ever thought it would be I'd feel grateful for my curse."

Spoiler: note

Show

Mythweavers is not pulling up for me, so I'll roll OOC later on.

[rs2excelsior]

Elissa steps back, her heart jumping into her throat--skeletons? Walking? Panic rose up, she thought about fleeing--but the thought of facing her father and Sir Dramott, of leaving her comrades in danger, steadied her. She drew her sword, steadied her hands, and waited for the skeletons to approach. With a shout, she brings her sword down on the first one to come close, and... something happens. It's as if her mind clears in the moment before her strike, as if something else is guiding the blade... and as if the blade alights with pale, white fire as it strikes.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Using smite evil--it's not the wisest to burn it on a skeleton, but this is effectively her finding out she has this ability. Pretty much an instinctual reaction right now.

Power Attack: (1d20+6)[26]
Damage: (2d6+9)[14] (double paladin level to damage because undead scourge--applies to all attacks vs a smited undead, not just the first)

[Queen of Sheba]

Gwyn's hands nervously tighten their hold on the staff as the skeletons close in on them. The prospect of putting herself within reach of their bony claws is a daunting one, but she'll not stand idly by while Elissa and Bast weather the brunt of the undead assault. "If one of you step back, I can try taking a few of them out with a spell," she mentions, feeling a bit more courageous after watching Elissa obliterate one of their attackers.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Ah, that pesky DR 30/— skeletons have... Anywho, I'll delay for now.

[hannahbbug3]

Bast's eyes widen as the skeletons rush forward, and he makes a move for his crossbow when he hears Gwyn speak. His initial thought is that she shouldn't be any closer to these things than he is, but... he's certain she knows what she's doing. "Be my guest," Bast says, moving out of her way as he aims his crossbow and fires, bringing another bolt up to replace it immediately.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

5' step back at Gwyn's request, and then drawing crossbow and firing!

(1d20+4)[19]
(1d10)[1]

Bast does have blunt bolts but right now doesn't know to use them, so that's just a regular bolt, and the one that he's loaded after it is regular, as well. Does anyone have Knowledge Religion and can tell Bast to switch?

[Queen of Sheba]

Gwyn gives a determined nod as Bast steps aside, hoping it comes across with more confidence than she actually feels. The young woman leans her staff against the crypt wall before raising her hands up, thumbs and pointer fingers meeting to form a triangle and palms facing outward. The blue of her eyes is replaced with opaque white as she taps into the deep magic of the earth, siphoning a pittance of that energy to bolster her spell. A few words in the lilting language of the fey tumble from Gwyn's lips, and the palms of her hands begin to glow brightly! But the light quickly dims, and only a weak tongue of flame comes sputtering forth from her outstretched hands.

Gwyn looks down at her hands in confusion for a moment before doubling over with a sharp gasp as the ley energy rebounds.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Casting burning hands in squares M3, L4, M4, L5 & M5. (1d4)[3] (DC 15 Reflex save for half damage)

Fort Save (vs DC 11) (1d20+1)[5] Edit: Staggered for 1 minute

[u-b]

Zion channels divine energy and a wave of stumbling rolls over the skeletons, touching most of them, but having a lasting effert only on the farthest one which suddenly stops trying to advance towards you. Elissa brings her sword down on a skeleton, driving the blade all the way down to the pelvic bone, with lots of rib and other fragments flying everywhere and the remaining bones falling down forming a shapeless heap on the floor. Bast steps back and shoots at one of the skeletons, trying not to accidentally hit Elissa. As a result, he misses them both, the bolt hitting the far wall of the chamber. Gwyn casts a spell blasting a cone of fire at the skeletons. The nearest one is burned for 3 damage, the other two are barely affected and the two further back out of range of the spell. Phillip gets closer drawing his axe, but then suddenly stops and throws up violently.

The skeletons, except the last one, advance and attack. Two try to get their claws into Elissa, but of a total of four attacks just one even manages to scratch the scale the paladin is wearing. One other skeleton tries to get to Gwyn and has more succes, clawing the woman across the chest for 4 damage.

Spoiler

Show

Skeleton M4: will (1d20+2)[16] ref (1d20+2)[6]
Skeleton L5: will (1d20+2)[8] ref (1d20+2)[18]
Skeleton M5: will (1d20+2)[20] ref (1d20+2)[18]
Skeleton L6: will (1d20+2)[5]
Skeleton M6: will (1d20+2)[12] - only this one remains under Zion's control and may be commanded

Skeleton vs Elissa: (1d20+2)[9] for (1d4+2)[6] and (1d20+2)[16] for (1d4+2)[5]
Skeleton vs Elissa: (1d20+2)[8] for (1d4+2)[5] and (1d20+2)[3] for (1d4+2)[6]
Skeleton vs Gwyn: (1d20+2)[10] for (1d4+2)[3] and (1d20+2)[17] for (1d4+2)[4]

=> Party (everyone, any order)

[rs2excelsior]

Elissa is a bit shocked as the skeleton in front of her crumbles. What had happened to her sword when she swung? No time to worry about that now, there were more of them to deal with. She makes a sweeping cut at the skeleton which attacked Gwyn. She catches a glance at Bast reloading his crossbow. "Don't think those arrows are going to do much but get stuck in their ribcage," she calls to the elf. "Got anything else?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Just a regular power attack, no smite this time: (1d20+4)[16]
Damage: (2d6+7)[11]

The default DC for identifying weaknesses is 10+CR, so I think a 12 K(Religion) will be good for a CR 1/3 skeleton. If not let me know and I'll edit that part out of my post.

[Zhentarim]

Zion casts burning hands on the approaching skeletons after they advanced far enough for her controlled skeleton to be out of range. If there are any skeletons left standing after the spell, Zion commands her skeleton to attack one of the other skeletons.

Spoiler: Burning hands plus gifted adept trait

Show

Damage (2d4)[6]
Reflex save for half

[u-b]

Elissa smashes another skeleton, this time less spectacularly as the skeleton is only half a skull short of ducking under the blow and gets said well-burned skull knocked off and rolling across the chamber. The rest of charred bones suddenly stop being animated and fall down on the floor. Zion quickly moves into the freed space and casts a spell. Two skeletons try to hit her, but only get in one another's way. A cone of flame, directed sideways to south-west hits the stone wall and two skeletons, which disassemble into two heaps of charred boned. The southmost skeleton does a strange thing then - it steps to it's only colleague left standing and claws it with full force across the neck, breaking the link between its skull and the rest of the bones, which seems to be enough to end the animation as the whole assortment falls to the floor.

Spoiler

Show

Skeleton AoO vs Zion: (1d20+2)[6] for (1d4+2)[3]
Skeleton AoO vs Zion: (1d20+2)[9] for (1d4+2)[3]
Skeleton reflex: (1d20+2)[17] - success, but was already burned by Gwyn, so had enough in total
Skeleton reflex: (1d20+2)[3]
Skeleton vs skeleton : (1d20+2)[20] for (1d4+2)[6] and (1d20+2)[12] for (1d4+2)[5]

Unless someone wants to attack Zion's skeleton in M5, the combat is over.

[Zhentarim]

To the skeleton, Zion says ”Come with us. You could be useful later. Maybe I can find out who you are and can lay you properly to rest.”

[Queen of Sheba]

Wide-eyed in surprise and a healthy amount of fear, Gwyn nods her thanks to Elissa when the other woman finishes off her undead attacker. Then, a few moments after the last hostile skeleton collapses, the jittery, buzzing energy Gwyn felt surging through her suddenly fades away, leaving her keenly aware of the wound on her chest. The young woman grimaces while inspecting the bloody mess the skeleton's grasping claws had made, and, with a hiss of pain, Gwyn presses a hand aglow with healing energy to the injury and watches as the flesh knits back together, leaving only faint pink lines. "Well, that explains what happened to the horses and your town-kin... but what in the Blight would make the old settlers of Kassen wake from their rest in the first place?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Healing Hex (1d8+1)[5]

[rs2excelsior]

Elissa returns the nod of thanks, the adrenaline of the short fight draining from her system leaving her somewhat shaken. "I... I don't know why the dead might be rising. Maybe there will be something further in..."

She gives the skeleton which Zion controlled a nervous glance. "You have... control of it? Are you sure it can't break loose or something?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Knowledge (Local) regarding rumors about undead in the crypt: (1d20)[20]

[Zhentarim]

Elissa returns the nod of thanks, the adrenaline of the short fight draining from her system leaving her somewhat shaken. "I... I don't know why the dead might be rising. Maybe there will be something further in..."

She gives the skeleton which Zion controlled a nervous glance. "You have... control of it? Are you sure it can't break loose or something?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Knowledge (Local) regarding rumors about undead in the crypt: [roll0]

"It's a long story, but when those girls tried to burn me alive last year, something offered me a deal to get out of the crematorium incinerator safely--and I've had resistance to fire and the ability to control undead every since then. To my knowledge, undead I control don't break free. I think I sold my soul, though."

[rs2excelsior]

"Oh, that's... that sounds awful." Elissa isn't entirely sure what to say in response to that. "Well... I suppose we better push onward?" She shoulders her greatsword, still giving the skeleton an uncertain glance.

[Zhentarim]

"Awful things happen to me. Story of my life. I say when 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade'."

[hannahbbug3]

"I have never heard of a lemon before. Are they grown around here?" Bast asks, the only thing his mind can compute after seeing something so horrific. And to think his sharp bolts had done nothing to aid the group... he would have to make himself more useful, later. He clears his throat and while the others are investigating the bodies, he moves a few more feet into the room, searching for any sort of other threats, or at least a way forward.

Spoiler: Perception

Show

(1d20+7)[20] with an additional +1 for finding any traps.

[Zhentarim]

Spoiler: Quote

Show

"I have never heard of a lemon before. Are they grown around here?" Bast asks, the only thing his mind can compute after seeing something so horrific. And to think his sharp bolts had done nothing to aid the group... he would have to make himself more useful, later. He clears his throat and while the others are investigating the bodies, he moves a few more feet into the room, searching for any sort of other threats, or at least a way forward.

Spoiler: Perception

Show

[roll0] with an additional +1 for finding any traps.

”In my youth, my father would say that. He came from a tropical clime, and down there, there were these yellow sour fruits that produced a sour juice nobody liked unless it was mixed with sugar. When the juice was mixed with sugar, it made a beverage called lemonade.”

[u-b]

There does not seem to be a way froward. There do seem to be a way left and a way right, though, or at least corresponding doors, both closed, accessibe from the risen platforms on both sides of the chamber. There are a pair of backpacks on the western platform in the corner near the door. Nothing seems obviously trapped. There is occasional echoing wail in the distance beyond this chamber.

Spoiler

Show

As per the map:

[Queen of Sheba]

After retrieving her staff, Gwyn goes to follow Bast into the antechamber but pauses when the distant wailing reaches her ears. "Might be more of your townsfolk," she suggests after a glance at the faces of her companions confirms that she's not the only one to hear the plaintive cry. "If it is, we'd best hurry. Any idea which way the sound is coming from?" The cavernous crypt is so unlike any environment Gwyn's ever been in that she doubts her own senses to lead her in the right direction. While the group decides on what to do, the fiery-haired young woman draws a scroll out from a satchel at her hip, unfurls it, then reads aloud the arcane inscription found within. The sigil on the scroll glow brightly for a few moments before disappearing from the page; at the same time, a translucent energy in the shape of a suit of armor manifests around Gwyn before similarly vanishing from sight.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Gwyn will use one of her scrolls of mage armor (1 hour). Will mark it off my sheet and update AC accordingly!

[rs2excelsior]

Elissa is uneasy at the wailing, but she agrees with Gwyn's assessment. "Might be. No idea where it might be coming from, though..." Cautiously moving to the platform with the backpack, she presses an ear up against the door, trying to determine if the wailing sounds louder on the other side.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Perception? (1d20)[17]

[Zhentarim]

Zion commands the skeleton to go to the front of the group.