Sunday 1 August 1280, Afternoon (A Crushing Blow)

The skeletons at the far end of the room manage to rip open the door and rush out, fleeing the party and the wrath of the Light called down on them by Gaven.

The remaining skeletons press forward. One comes at Duran and two attempt to take on Almo, but to no avail. However, the fourth skeleton delivers a crushing blow to the side of Wally's head with a sickening crack, and the halfling falls to the floor, obviously dead.

Gaven moves farther into the room to attack one of the non-turned skeletons, and Duran also attacks skeleton nearest him being careful to stay clear of the rotblood.

The cleric's attack misses its mark, but Duran's manages to take another couple of chunks out of the undead thing, which staggers backward in a vain effort to defend itself from the fighter's blows. Duran's skeleton seems on the verge of falling apart.

Almo likewise hacks at the skeleton before him, striking the monster twice, leaving it in a heap of broken limbs on the floor before him.

Oloc avoids the fighting. He makes sure the torch is held high to keep the scene illuminated.

Seeing Wally go down, Filbert rushes past Oloc in a blind rage, smiting the skeleton that killed his cousin with a mighty blow that shatters it into a thousand pieces of bone. The disproportion between the halfling's size and the power of his blow is surprising.

Gweneth and Jack dash into the room past Oloc as well, managing to flank east and gang up on one skeleton there, but neither is able to land a blow.

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OOC: Actions?

Sorry for the delay in this post. I meant to put it up yesterday but the weekend just got away from me.

Time: 15:25 (no change, combat time)
Current Torch Expires:16:10

Current HP Totals:
Duran (10/11)
Almo (6/10)
Wally (0)
All other party members are at full hp
Two skeletons remain; one (facing Duran) badly battered; the other (now surrounded by Gaven, Filbert, Jack and Gweneth) untouched.

Combat Details:

Initiative: Skeletons 4 – Party 2

Skeleton Attacks Duran:
d20 = 3 (miss)

Two Skeletons Attack Almo:
d20 = 10 (miss)
d20 = 6 (miss)

Skeleton attacks Wally:
d20 = 19 (hit); d6 = 4 (Wally Killed)

Gaven
d20 = 6 (miss)

Duran
d20 = 14 +1 (level 2) = 15 (hit); d6 = 1
Combat Machine (second attack) d20 = 13 + 1 (level 2) = 14 (hit); d6 = 3  (Skeleton has lost 5 hp total, but still alive)

Almo
d20 = 17 + 1 = 18 (hit); d6 = 3
Combat Machine (second attack) d20 = 15  + 1 = 16 (hit); d6 = 4 (Skeleton killed)

Filbert
d20 = 17  (hit); d6 = 4 (Skeleton killed)

Gweneth
d20 = 3 (miss)

Jack
d20 = 6 (miss)

Sunday 1 August 1280, Afternoon (To the Bone)

Oloc holds the torch high in one hand as he steps to the side to allow access for the others. "More undead! Gaven can you turn them?" shouts the Mage.

The skeletons move quickly, however, and before anyone can react, they are upon the party, attacking with their bony bludgeons. Gaven, Duran and Almo are in the doorway, blocking off the skeletons' path to the rest of the party members, but the skeletons press in.

One lands a glancing blow on Duran (OOC: 1 hp damage), and another strikes Almo with the leg bone of some long dead cleric (OOC: 4 hp damage). It appears that the Light is shining on Gaven, as none of the skeletons succeeds in striking him.

"The Light shall drive you back to the abyss rottblood!" cries Gaven at the skeletons. For a moment a dead silence drapes the room as all motion stops. Suddenly eight of the skeleton horde turn and flee toward the south door, struggling to open it and escape in that direction.

The remaining four skeletons resume their march toward the party.

Duran steps to the side as he fires his bow at the nearest skeleton.  One arrow misses, but a second strikes the creature, splintering out a chunk of a rib bone. As his second the arrow is released he puts his bow around his shoulders and draws his axe.

Almo, meanwhile, rushes toward the skeleton nearest him, heedless of his own injury, and swings with his sword, nicking the monster's skull. As Duran and Oloc have stepped aside, Wally has the opportunity to join the fray as well, slashing another of the skeletons across the collar bone, sending tiny bone shards flying into the air.

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OOC:  Actions?

Duran, Gaven, Almo and Wally are in the room as indicated on the map; current status for them is:

Duran (10/11)
Gaven (12/12)
Almo (6/10)
Wally (4/4)

The rest of the party are still just outside the doorway, lined up as follows:

Front: Filbert (6/6)     Oloc (6/6) [Light]   (and Karnak fluttering above)
Rear:   Gweneth (6/6)   Jack (4/4)

Oloc is basically right at the door with the light, so you are able to see the entire interior of the room.

The eight turned skeletons are attempting to tear open the door to the south and flee.

Time: 15:25 (no change, combat time)
Current Torch Expires:16:10

*****

Combat Details

Initiative: Skeletons 4 – Party 1

2 Skeletons attack Duran:
d20 = 17 (hit); d6 = 1 hp damage
d20 = 2 (miss)

2 Skeletons attack Almo:
d20 = 2 (miss)
d20 = 18 (hit); d6 = 4

2 Skeletons attack Gaven:
d20 = 11 (miss)
d20 = 12 (miss)

Gaven's turn roll
3d6 = 14 (success)
3d6 = 8 skeletons turned

Duran
Shot 1: d20 = 10 + 1 (level 2) + 2 (close range) = 13 (hit); d6 = 1 hp damage
Shot 2: d20 = 6 + 1 (level 2) + 2 (close range) = 9 (miss)

Almo
d20 = 14 + 1 (level 2) = 15 (hit); d6 = 1 hp damage

Wally
d20 = 18 (hit); d6 = 2 hp damage

Sunday 1 August 1280, Afternoon (To Save, To Join)

"Shall we just continue through the door in front of us?" Duran asks.

"Yes, let's go forward," replies Gaven.

Pulling open the door, you see before you yet another 30' x 30' room, much the same as the first room you entered after descending from the church.

Horizontal stone recesses are set into all the walls, going all the way around the room, from about 2' above the floor, all the way to the ceiling, some 10' up. Each recessed shelf has about 2' of horizontal space, into which have been laid the bones of dozens and dozens of skeletons. The remains look very dry, brittle and old.

At the south end of the room, you see a door.

Along the west wall of the room, there is another puddle of the red substance seeping up from beneath the floor. In it lie twelve skeletons, arranged in contorted, unnatural looking poses. As the light of your torch falls upon them, they wake from their slumber and rise, the red substance dripping from their limbs like tattered clothing. They stagger toward you, wielding the bones of others' remains like clubs.

Blue arrow represents party's position and facing; 

Green arrow represents skeletons' position and movement.

These animated skeletons look distinctly less fragile than the inert remains lining the walls.

For a moment, the foremost skeleton has a light in its eye sockets as it says in a raspy voice "Save us..." Then the light in its eyes fades to black, and it adds: "...join us."

All twelve skeletons move to attack you.

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OOC: Actions?

You are currently in the doorway, lined up as follows:

Front Rank:   Gaven (12/12)   Almo (10/10)   Duran (11/11) (and Karnak fluttering above)
Second Rank: Filbert (6/6)     Oloc (6/6) [Light]     Wally (4/4)
Third Rank:   Gweneth (6/6)   Jack (4/4)

The nearest skeletons are still about 5'-10' in front of you. This would allow a round of missile attacks (front rank only), if you win initiative.

Time: 15:25
Current Torch Expires:16:10

Sunday 1 August 1280, Afternoon (Wall Huggers)

"Well, at least we know what the substance is called," says Gaven.

Oloc replies: "Rottblood. It even sounds like something to be avoided."

The cleric continues "Which door? We've been avoiding the north, but according to the map the south door leads to the room we avoided before. I vote south."

"South is fine with me as long as we can get away from this pool of water," Duran says as he casts a wary eye at the frothing pool.

The mage instructs the hirelings to not touch the 'mirror'. "Let us try the southern door then."

It takes a moment to get some of the hirelings willing to enter the room, but finally they do, despite their dread of the turbulent, wailing pool. The men-at-arms readily obey the Oloc's instruction, hugging the wall out of fear as they move around the pool from the west entry to the south exit.

Opening the door, you find yourselves in an east-west corridor. To the west, there is a door in the north wall. Directly in front of you, to the south, is another door. Far to the east, it appears the passage opens out into a chamber, though you cannot determine its shape or dimensions from this distance.

You also note, on the floor just to the west along the south wall, another puddle of red fluid. Like all the puddles you have seen, there is no dripping from the ceiling, or streaking down the walls above it. It would seem to be seeping up through the floor.

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OOC: Actions?

Time: 15:20
Current Torch Expires:16:10

Sunday 1 August 1280, Afternoon (What that pool may be, Thou shalt behold...)

Gaven attempts to speak with the clear water within the pool, asking what the red substance is and how to get rid of it.

Oloc looks on intently as Gaven tries to speak with the faces in the liquid "mirror" of the pool. He avoids getting too close to the strange sight. "What is this madness?"

In response to Gaven's attempt at communication, the faces thrashing about in the pool seem to strain toward the cleric, plaintively looking to him for help it seems, but unable to articulate coherent speech, with but a single exception. Gaven is able to make out just one word, periodically repeated in painful, accusatory tones: "Rottblood."

Uneasy about what he sees in front of him, Duran carefully circles the room looking for anything of note.

The archer sees that despite the violent struggle going on within the pool, not a single bit of either the clear fluid or the red substance has spilled out over the edge of the "mirror." The floor all about is entirely dry.

Unable to get anything further from the howling faces, Gaven joins Duran in examining the area, avoiding contact with the red substance. Closer study reveals nothing further however.

Meanwhile, Oloc moves to inspect the two doors and listens at each of them in turn.

The doors are of old wood, much like the other doors in the catacombs. Both are unlocked, and Oloc detects no traps. He hears nothing beyond either door but, as might be expected, the draft beneath the door to the north is colder than that to the south. Additionally, Oloc detects a faint whiff of the foul odor previously noted to the north as well.

As the torch burns down, a new one is lit.*

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OOC: Actions?

*I took the liberty, please mark one off if you haven't already.

Time: 15:10
Current Torch Expires:16:10

Sunday 1 August 1280, Afternoon (Troubled Waters)

Gaven re-probes the ceiling closer to the door as Oloc suggests while saying, "I fear the door may be supporting the ceiling and if we open the door...crash! I say we check out the moaning."

"I agree," says Oloc. "Let's avoid this door for now."

Duran cast a wary eye towards the crumbling ceiling as he steps back from the door. Nodding in agreement with the others he begins to move down the hall to the other door.

Oloc heads towards the door and the moaning sounds, careful not to walk directly under the unstable ceiling.

As Gaven re-probes, and as the party passes carefully by, no more fragments fall from the ceiling near the south door.

Once at the east door Oloc listens to see if he can discern anything about the moans.

The mage notes that the voices sound somewhat human, and in a great deal of distress, while having a supernatural quality.

The frontline members of the company heave at the door, and it swings outward. The sound of the moaning rises to a howling wail, now that it is not muffled behind the thick wooden portal.

Peering through the entry, you see a square room, 30 feet by 30 feet. There are two other doors, one in the north wall, and one to the south, both closed.

The air in the room is cold and damp, and your breath steams as you exhale.

In the center of the room is a 10 foot by 10 foot square pool of fluid. The fluid appears to be a bizarre swirl of clear water, such as you saw earlier in the font back in the church, combined with the red liquid you have previously encountered.

The two twirling substances foam and froth as if they were alive and struggling with one another. From time to time, face-like forms appear in the clear parts of the fluid, straining upward as if to escape the red substance. The faces form mouths, emitting desperate, painful cries, that are just as quickly strangled by liquid crimson tentacles that drag the watery faces back down into the violently churning and splashing broth.

The halflings and your henchmen shrink back against the wall of the corridor. Some hide their faces from the sight before them. The others look on, with bulging wide eyes and voiceless open mouths.

On the eastern wall of the room, you can make out an inscription that reads "Mirror of Blessed Souls."

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OOC: Actions?

Time: 15:00
Current Torch Expires:15:10

(You'll need to light a new torch this turn or lose your light – whoever does so should mark it off on his character sheet)

Sunday 1 August 1280, Afternoon (Boink)

Gaven pokes along the chipped ceiling with his broken spear to make sure the passageway is safe. Most of it appears relatively solid, but near the door to the south, several more small chunks of stone fall from the ceiling when he taps at it. "Those moans, there may be people down here. We must investigate."

Duran also inspects the cracks and the nearby door. "Should we check behind this door first to make sure nothing comes out behind us?" asks Duran. "Then perhaps we can carefully check out the moaning." Duran hears nothing at the south door. However, looking up at the ceiling, he notes that the cracks appear to extend outward from beyond the south door, as if they originate on the other side of it. As he draws away from the portal, one more small chunk – about two inches in diameter – drops, striking him on the shoulder (OOC: no damage).

Oloc avoids getting underneath the crumbling ceiling. At Duran's query the mage responds, "I would be careful trying to open the door. That ceiling looks quite unstable. If you mean to open it, perhaps Gaven should probe a bit more to release any loose bits of rock."

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OOC: Actions?

Time: 14:50
Current Torch Expires:15:10

There were two votes for opening the south door, but I didn't know if the new information revealed by your careful prodding and examination would alter that, so for now I've held off on you guys opening it. Just let me know what you want to do.

Sunday 1 August 1280, Afternoon (Moan, Moan, Moan)

"I fear there are more undead down here," Oloc says to his companions. "No doubt the red substance is connected in some way."

The Mage considers the different paths. "Perhaps we take the first path here to the east - the air seems less....foul."

Duran nods in agreement to Oloc as he readjusts his pack.

"I agree Oloc," says Gaven. "Let's move."

The company moves north to the first of the two side passages heading eastward. Turning to look down that corridor, you see that the hallway east extends about 80 feet before ending at a closed door. About 50-60 feet down the hall is another door in the south wall, while a tunnel simultaneously branches north at roughly the same distance.

Near the door on the south wall you see a few cracks and chips in the ceiling, and a few stone fragments scattered about the floor beneath them.

The air in the passage to the north is cold and foul, much as you perceived previously in that direction.

From directly ahead, behind the door at the east end of the corridor, you hear what sound like muffled moans of pain.

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OOC: Actions?

Time: 14:45
Current Torch Expires:15:10