Sunday 1 August 1280, Late Afternoon (One Down, One Up)

"Your necromantic powers will fail in the face of the Light!" cries Gaven as he raises his hand once more to turn Rottblood's minions. Unfortunately, though they waver momentarily, the cleric is unable to put quite enough force into his declaration to turn the skeletal minions back.

Duran, however, nocks one of Ruger's Perfect Arrows, and lets loose on Rottblood. True to its name, the arrow is precisely on target, whistling past Gaven's ear and striking Rottblood right in the center of his cowl. The evil fiend emits a howl of otherworldly agony as the flaming magical backflash from the arrow seems to burst out of his hood. Rottblood then crumples to the ground, lifeless.

With Rottblood down, Oloc throws his dagger at one of the skeletons threatening Jack, but unfortunately with no success.

Karnak strikes again at his skeleton, ripping away some of its ribs, and Gweneth and Jack, though unable to make progress, at least are able to hold their own on the flanks.

Today, however, seems destined to be a day of tragedy for the halflings. The skeleton facing Filbert, after dodging the small warrior's attack, strikes the poor stout fellow with a blow that splits his skull. With a sickening sound, Filbert falls to the floor, dead.

Another skeleton strikes [MAJOR EDIT] at Gaven, but just misses.

Behind Oloc, Almo stirs and shows what grit halflings possess. Despite his blindness, he stands and draws his weapon. The determined grimace on his face paints a stark contrast to his darkened, vacant eyes. Placing a hand in the center of Oloc's back to get his bearings, Almo moves past the mage and starts forward, returning to the fight.

*************************
OOC: Actions?

HP Update:
Gaven: 10/12
Filbert: 0/6 (dead)
All others full

MAJOR EDIT: When I first wrote this, I forgot to include Gaven's Protection from Chaos which would mean the skeleton's roll of 19 (below) did NOT hit him. So in fact, Gaven is at 10/12 HP still. My apologies for overlooking that!

Other points of note:
Rottblood is dead
Two skeletons have been wounded (the one facing Gweneth and the one facing Karnak)
Almo has passed a morale check and is now standing again.

The skeletons are still eligible for turning, if Gaven chooses to attempt it again (really lousy dice-rolling on my part once more – Gaven needed a 7, on 3d6, and I threw a 6; I need to have a serious talk with my dice).

Combat Details

Initiative: Party 6 – Rottblood 2

Gaven (attempts to turn skeletons)
3d6 = 6 (fail)

Duran (shoots at Rottblood with Ruger's Perfect Arrow)
Auto-Hit, Auto Max damage = 12 (Rottblood Killed)

Oloc (throws at skeleton)
d20 = 1 +1 (medium range) = 2 (miss)

Karnak (attacks skeleton)
d20 = 18+2 (hit bonus) = 20 (hit); d6 = 2 (skeleton wounded)

Gweneth: (attacks skeleton)
d20 = 9 (miss)

Jack: (attacks skeleton)
d20 = 9 (miss)

Filbert (attacks skeleton)
d20 = 9 (miss)

Almo (morale check)
2d6 = 7 (pass); stands up

Skeleton (attacks Gweneth)
d20 = 7 (miss)

Skeleton (attacks Karnak)
d20 = 4 (miss)

Skeleton (attacks Gaven)
d20 = 19 (hit); d6 = 5 (Gaven is now at 5/12 hp)

Skeleton (attacks Filbert)
d20 = 18 (hit); d6 = 6 (Filbert Killed)

Skeleton (attacks Jack)
d20 = 4 (miss)

Skeleton (attacks Jack)
d20 = 9 (miss)

Sunday 1 August 1280, Late Afternoon (Howling and Screeching)

Duran continues to fire at Rottblood while yelling encouragement to Karnak. One of Duran's arrows strikes Rottblood, who howls with anger.

Oloc stays near Almo, protecting him from any approaching skeletons. He lets the halfling know that he is there, in an attempt to calm him. From this position Oloc throws his magical dagger. The flashing steel projectile misses, but comes right back to the mage's hand.

Gaven then charges at Rottblood yelling, "For the Light!" The rampaging cleric hurtles forward toward his dark adversary, striking him hard with his club.

Rottblood staggers momentarily from the cleric's charge.

Meanwhile, Gweneth, Jack and Karnak all continue to assault the skeletons. But the latter succeed in parrying their attacks.

Rottblood quickly regains his poise and raises his arms high above his head: "Take courage, my children! Feel the power of the darkness flowing within you!"

As the words leave his lips, the skeletons stop their backward movement. They appear almost to stand straighter, more menacingly, and they press forward once more with their own attack.

All however, fail to land a blow. Jack's defense against the three skeletons who have ganged up on him is nothing less than miraculous, blade and shield moving with the speed of lightning and catching every blow thrown at them.

Having finally dragged his cousin to safety behind Oloc, Filbert charges into the skeletons to wreak his vengeance for Wally's death and Almo's blindness. "Back to the abyss with you! Die! DIE! DIIIIIIIEEEEEE!" he screams in an almost insanely high-pitched screech. His furious rage, however, is not enough to allow him to break through his adversary's defense.

*************************

OOC: Actions?

Hit Point Update: The only one taking any damage it seems is Rottblood (not even the skeletons got hit this round! Party HP are where they were at the start of the fight).

*****

Combat Details, Round 2

Initiative: Party 6 – Rottblood 1

Duran (shoots at Rottblood)
d20 = 8 + 1 (hit bonus) + 2 (close range) = 11 (miss)
d20 = 10 + 1 (hit bonus) + 2 (close range) = 13 (hit); d6 = 5

Oloc (throws at Rottblood)
d20 = 3 +1 (medium range) = 4 (miss)

Gaven (charges Rottblood)
d20 = 12 +1 (ribbon) = 13 (hit); 2d6 (for charge) = 3 + 2 (ribbon doubled for charge) = 5

Karnak (attacks skeleton)
d20 = 3 +2 (hit bonus) = 5 (miss)

Gweneth: (attacks skeleton)
d20 = 9 (miss)

Jack: (attacks skeleton)
d20 = 8 (miss)

Rottblood (attempts to rally his minions)
(Un-)turn undead: 3d6 = 6 success. *Text Edited: I originally wrote d20 when in fact I had rolled 3d6.

Skeleton (attacks Gweneth)
d20 = 3 (miss)

One skeleton cannot get to Gweneth because of altar "bottleneck."

Skeleton (attacks Karnak)
d20 = 10 (miss)

Skeleton (attacks Gaven)
d20 = 4 (miss)

Skeleton (attacks Jack)
d20 = 1 (miss)

Skeleton (attacks Jack)
d20 = 3 (miss)

Skeleton (attacks Jack)
d20 = 5 (miss)

Filbert (attacks skeleton; goes last after dragging Almo to safety)
d20 = 7 (miss)

Wow, if I keep rolling like this the combat is going to take forever...

Sunday 1 August 1280, Late Afternoon (Light and Darkness)

"I am Rottblood," says the figure. "Who are you who invade my home and harm my family?"

Gaven answers in a stern tone, "We are the ones who will stop your defilement of this temple."

Hearing this reply, the skeletons charge forward. Rottblood speaks a word in an evil-sounding tongue, and a shadow flies from his hand, striking Almo in the face.

"I'm blind!" cries the halfing. "I can't see!" Almo falls to the floor, and tries to crawl away from the undead he knows are coming for him in his own private darkness.

Gaven lifts his holy symbol and commands, "Children of Rottblood, flee from the holy power of the Light!"

The skeletons who were rushing forward stop dead in their tracks. They look from Rottblood to Gaven and back again. Trembling between the wrath of their master and that of the light, they slowly begin to step backward.

Their withdrawal however, is not the mad flight you witnessed before, and you can't help wondering if Rottblood's will or magic might bring them back into the fight.

Meanwhile, Oloc finds a line of sight to the shrouded figure and points his finger. Recalling the spell stored in his ring, he sends the magical missile streaking towards the evil one. The missile strikes the dark adversary, in a burst of red energy, yet seems to do but little harm.

As soon as Oloc fires his magic missile at the shrouded figure Duran lets loose an arrow at the same, followed quickly by a second. Both arrows strike Rottblood. The first seems only to nick him, but the second sinks solidly into the fiend's torso.

Duran then steps to the side to let the others move into the room, motioning for Karnak to attack.

Karnak swoops down on one of the withdrawing skeletons and rips out two of its vertebrae with his talons. The skeleton falls to the floor in a pile of bones.

Gweneth and Jack each let out a primal battle cry and rush the adversaries on either flank.

Jack's reckless run bears no fruit. But the female elf hacks with her sword into another skeleton's ribs, sending a burst of bone fragments into the air.

Filbert rushes to his cousin's aid. "It's alright Almo, I've got you!" he cries, as he begins to drag Almo backward to a safer position.

*************************

OOC:  Actions?

Combat Details:

Round 1

Initiative: Rottblood and Friends 4 – Party 1

Spellcasting and Turning

Rottblood:  Casts darkness at Almo's eyes (distance allows save = 5, fail); Almo blinded (morale roll 2d6 = 8, fail)

Gaven: Turn Undead. 2d6 = 8 (success).

Oloc: Casts Magic Missile – automatically strikes Rottblood; d6 +1 = 2 (ouch, sorry for the poor die-rolling there...).

Duran: Shoots at Rottblood
d20 = 12 + 1 (hit bonus) + 2 (close range) = 15 (hit); d6 = 1
d20 = 18 + 1 (hit bonus) + 2 (close range) = 21 (hit); d6 = 5

Karnak: Attacks skeleton
d20 = 12 +2 (hit bonus) = 14 (hit); d6 = 3 (skeleton killed)

Gweneth: Attacks skeleton
d20 = 16 (hit); d6 = 1

Jack: Attacks skeleton
d20 = 3 (miss)

Filbert runs forward to Almo's aid.

Sunday 1 August 1280, Late Afternoon (All My Children)

Gaven uses the scroll of Cure Light Wounds to heal Almo (OOC: Almo regains 5 hp, and is back up to 10/10 hp). Almo thanks Gaven. In a matter of seconds, he looks to be perfectly fit.

"Shall we see what is behind the door?" the cleric asks.

"I believe it is time to face whatever is behind this door," Duran says to the others.

"Death, in one form or another, is behind that door." Oloc shifts uncomfortably in the passage, holding the torch high. "If it must be done, then so be it." The Mage fingers the magic ring on his hand and prepares to call forth his magic missile at the slightest provocation.

Before opening the door, Gaven casts Protection from Evil on himself.

The halflings and hirelings look nervous, but ready to follow. Filbert and Almo each give a nod that says "let's do this."

Duran and Gaven heave open the door. Oloc's torch flickers as a stinking breath-like gust of air pours forth. The room beyond is illuminated with a faint garish glow that seems to have no source.

Looking into the room, you see a 30' x 30' space. The dim red glow reveals a closed wooden door opposite you, and another puddle of the crimson liquid against the east wall. A stone altar stands mid-way across the room to your left (west).

Eight skeletons turn with an agitated movement toward the door you have just opened.

Near the altar stands a wavering man-like figure in long black shroud that obscures his face. He bends over the altar with a silver hammer and chisel, tapping into the top of the altar. The figure stops his task, rises from his bent posture, and turns to look at you.

A low, raspy voice emanates from his cowl: "My children here told me you were coming. It seems you weren't very nice to them. No, not at all." The figure shakes his covered head in a scolding manner. "I do not appreciate your mistreatment of my sons and daughters."

The skeletons clatter with menacing irritation at these words.

"I am Rottblood," the figure continues. "Who are you who invade my home and harm my family?"

*************************

OOC: Actions?

Time: 17:30
Current Torch Expires: 18:10

HP Update:
Gaven: 10/12
All others: Full

Gaven is protected by "Protection from Evil" (giving his opponents -1 to hit him, and giving him +1 to all saves against them)