Chp. 8 - Please Save the Children!

[OGRE MAGE]

Fingal draws his bow and fires at the rather awesome looking undead. After the things he's been through in this group, he no longer fears such creatures.

Attack w/ Short bow [1d20+1] = 7+1 = 8 Damage [1d6] = 3

[Pulpatoon]

Porphyry claps his hands and does a little caper at the sight of the skeletons. "How jaunty! Exactly as I had hoped! What fun!"

Looking around at the others, he scolds, "Put you weapons down, you fools! I could make use of them, and would rather have them in good shape until I'm, done with them.

"Let them come down the corridor a ways, let's see if they've any playmates in tow."

With a flourish, the satyr draws his sickles and scratches sigils in the air.

Command Undead: [2d6] = 8
Number commanded: Command Undead: [2d6] = 4
Duration of Command:[1d4] = 4

Command Undead (reversible)
Level: 1
Duration: See below Range: 60'
This spell allows the caster to attempt to control undead creatures, binding them to his will. A roll on the Turning Undead Table is made, as a cleric of the caster's level. A success indicates that the affected creature(s) will obey the caster's commands for 1d4 rounds. An automatic turning result (T) means they will obey the caster's commands for 1d4 hours, and a result of D means that they can be commanded for 1d4 days. In any case, the spell's effect is broken if the controlled creatures are successfully turned or commanded by another.
Turn undead, the reverse of command undead, allows the caster to attempt to turn undead creatures in the same way as a cleric. (The reversed version may not be available in some campaigns, at the Labyrinth Lord's discretion.)

[Hotgoblin]

Groyn can no longer keep Bene away from the fighting bones. (Sometimes Bene's dog instincts get the better of him)...
Bene's bite attack [1d20] = 20 Damage [1d6] = 3

Groyn rushes in behind the dog, ready to back him with his battle axe.
Attack w/ Battle Ax [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15 Damage [1d8+2] = 8+2 = 10

[Grognardsw]

Among the Dead - Round One

Wrenly the Drawn concentrates over the pouch of dried eyeballs, chanting and waving his hands. His magick spell reveals the eyes are demon eyes and are indeed enchanted, each granting a different power when ingested. There are six eyes with one power each: x-ray vision, see alignment, see magic, see traps, true seeing, and see future.

As Wrenly is casting his spell, he and the others hear a commotion down the thin catacomb corridor. They see Gagel is running away from a group of animated skeletons.

As Asherrion the Ink flows toward the catacombs, he brushes Niles the Still Life. The young knight concentrates on becoming animate. As Asherrion's ink touches him, it is absorbed into the still-life drawing and Niles comes alive! Asherrion's consciousness is inside Niles, sharing his mind, animating the painting.

Gagel the thief bolts down the thin catacomb corridor and is hacked in his back by a skeleton sword (4 HP damage.)

He staggers but keeps running. He reaches the end and dives to the ground as Fingal the thief aims his bow. It twangs and the arrow arcs up too high and hits the ceiling.

Groyn the dwarf gives the attack command to Bene the wolfhound and the dog runs and leaps upon the first skeleton in the line of eight. Bene chomps down on the hip bone, shakes it side-to-side and the whole skeleton topples apart! Groyn is close behind, swinging his axe to shatter through rib cage and cut the spine of the second skeleton, which collapses dead for the second time in its existence.

Porphyry the pyschopomp seems to welcome the undead, as he intones necrosyllables of dark control. Four of the skeletons stop, lower their weapons, and nod toward the satyr. The other two continue to press the attack, trying to push past their still comrades.

The skeletons are 30' away from the end of the corridor, where the party is except for Groyn and Bene. The thin corridor allows only one person abreast.

Actions for Round Two!

- I'll keep Wrenly's Identify spell rolls private.
- Initiative: Monsters [1d6] = 6, Party [1d6] = 2
- The catacomb corridor is thin; only single file is possible.
- Skeleton attack on Gagel [1d20] = 17, damage [1d6] = 4 Hit for 4.
- Asherrion/Niles combined being may take an action.
- Two skeletons are dead, two alive, four under control.

[greyarea]

Asherrion suggests to Niles that they attack!

[Hotgoblin]

Bene takes off toward the new skeletons. Groyn chases behind Bene again...you bes be moving out the ways here we comes !!!If we can fit past the others

Bene's bite attack [1d20] = 2 Damage [1d6] = 6

Attack w/ Battle Ax [1d20+2] = 4+2 = 6 Damage [1d8+2] = 8+2 = 10

[Pulpatoon]

Porphyry croons: "It worked! Just as I thought it would! All my calculations, my charts, my research! And they said I was mad! Mad, do you hear me!" Cackling with manic delight, he orders his skeletons to to retake their arms and attack their uncontrolled brethren.

He calls to the others in the party, "Take care with your blows! Do not damage my lovely puppets! They are delicate little filigrees of bone and beauty!"

[saalaria]

Swilbosh comes in to the room to investigate the commotion.

He will move up to help if there is room.

[OGRE MAGE]

Fingal has grown fond of the lizard shamans ridicule.

He ceases shooting and lets anyone who wants to attack get past him.

Ya! Don't rekill the charmed ones! Those things'll come in real handy!

[thesniperknight1]

"Can I kill the one that hit me? Come on!! Losing one puppet won't hurt you that much, not as much as that hurt, damn skeletons", he laughs....needlessly. And he simply allows others to go ahead of him as he moves back to the middle of the group.

[ChubbyPixie]

Wrenly the Brown, MU

Wrenly holds up the bag of demon eyes, admiring them in the dim light as the others rush past him towards the skeletons. "Porphyry! You'll be delighted to know, sir, that your bag of eyes are indeed magical, and I would venture to say, extremely useful. They require ingestion to function." This thought doesn't seem to bother him in the least. "As soon as we're finished here," he indicates the scuffle, "I will elaborate to you their individual functions." He looks again towards the scuffle. "Perhaps you could instruct your thralls to help finish off their skeletal associates?"

[doughx99]

Niles jumps to life,stretching his arms and legs.

yes finally i'm free

after listening to the scuffle Niles will stand back and let the charmed skeletons take care of the others.

[greyarea]

Asherrion urges Niles, No, we should attack!

[Inferno]

Sleestak, lizardman shaman:

From beneath his bone mask, Sleestak's double-lidded eyes widened. It was worse than he had first imagined. As the horned goatman cackled maniacally, dawning realization fell upon the old reptile like a boulder. These mammalkin were not merely greedy, foolhardy, cowardly mercenaries, but graverobbers, necromancers and demonologists as well, far weaker than the black powers that controlled this unholy vault, yes, but just as evil and depraved.

Each selfish action they took to pillage this profane place would release another guardian, and another. Watching the skeleton sentinels come to avenge their desecrated dead, Sleestak could no longer see which force was the lesser evil.

The shaman had been gravely mistaken. The mammalkin could not help him in his quest, and would likely hinder him. They sought not to overthrow the evil here, but to supplant it. Thankfully, it was not too late to turn back from this wrong path.

Sleestak's lizard brother seemed to have been acclimated to these evil mammals, the shaman mourned in his soul.

Silently, the two-dimensional druid slipped to the back of their ranks, able to pass between them easily, as thin as a sheet of parchment, and continued onward.

[Grognardsw]

Among the Dead - Round Two

Porphyry's skeletal servitors turn on their own and bone-on-bone action ensues. The two remaining uncontrolled undead surge forward - cleaving, cutting, chomping. One of Porphyry's skeletons falls in a heap of bones. Two of Porphyrys strike back, dealing collar-bone crunches (3 HP total.)

Bene the dog and his dwarf Groyn continue to occupy the thin corridor, biting and axe-swinging respectively but failing to connect. Swilbosh the lizardman fighter strides forward, seeing an opening above the short dwarf and dog. He thrust forth with his trident over Groyn's head, skewering a skeleton savagely (9 HP) to redeadness!

The lizardman isn't sure if he hit a 'bad' or Porphyry skeleton, it's hard to tell.

The Art Knight Niles/Asherrion stands guardedly, watching the outcome of the battle of the skeletons. The thieves Gagel and Fingal cheer. Wrenly the Brown is pleased with his magick identification of the demon eyeballs, perhaps feeling a pang of hunger. Sleestak slips away, easily done in a two-dimensional state. Wulfhart the barbarian seems absent-minded.

There's a clatter from further down the catacomb corridor. Someone points a lantern down there. Several dozen skeletons are climbing out from the catacomb beds. A long 40' single-file line of them are marching towards the adventurers! Bene pees on Groyn's boot and scampers away.



Actions for Round 3!

- Initiative: Monsters [1d6] = 5, Party [1d6] = 3 Monsters win.
- 2 Skeletons on skeletons [1d20] = 14, [1d20] = 6, dam. [1d6] = 6, [1d6] = 1 One hits for 6.
- Porphyry you can make rolls for any undead you control, going forward. Thanks.
- Porphry skeletons on skeleton [1d20] = 12, dam. [1d6] = 2 Hits for 2.
- 2 other Porphry skeletons on skeletons [1d20] = 12, [1d20] = 10, dam. [1d6] = 1, [1d6] = 1 One hits for 1
- Swilbosh trident [1d20+2] = 14+2 = 16, damage [1d6+3] = 6+3 = 9 Hits for 9. Swillbosh feel free to include "just in case" rolls for conditional or possible actions.
- Swilbosh hit a uncontrolled skeleton? (1-50) [1d100] = 91 No

[OGRE MAGE]

Upon seeing the mass of undead coming at us, Fingal makes a break for the doors.

Lets get the heck outta here! We ain't no match fer an army of them things!

If he can get into the hallway with the three doors, he will wait to see if everyone exits and then shut the door behind them.

[ChubbyPixie]

Wrenly the Brown, MU

"Someone else will have to light this! My torch gives off no heat in this state." yells Wrenly over the commotion. Removing an oil flask from his bag, he attempts to throw it over the heads of those in the front to hopefully douse the oncoming group of skeletons, or to create a puddle they will eventually walk into.

Throw Oil Flask (THAC0 = 19 ): [1d20+1] = 7+1 = 8
oops...

He will then run after Fingal to the intersection.

[Pulpatoon]

Porphyry is slow to realize the danger and reluctant to leave the catacombs. But eventually a little sense pierces the veil of his obsession. He calls for his remaining skeletons to disengage and follow him out the door. He appears nearly in tears. Holding onto one of his skeletons for emotional support, he groans, "A view of Elysium, and we lose it in lamenting!"

[Inferno]

Sleestak, lizardman shaman:

The reptilian witch doctor heard the chaotic, stampeding mammal retreat quickly coming up behind him. In his reduced state of existence, he could not help fight the skeletons.

If the humankin party made it out of the catacombs alive and got the door shut behind them, he would attempt to reason with them again, against his better judgment.

The crocodilian Cassandra croaked cantankerously, "The skeleton sentinels may be ordered only to guard the catacombs, in which case they won't follow.
"Or they may be commanded to retrieve anything stolen by graverobbers. In which case, you must return what you have stolen. There are hundreds of corpses in there. We'll not survive them all.
"Or," he added blackly, "they may be charged with murdering any who desecrate their dead. In which case, we might divide our forces, isolate the desecrators, so we are not all destroyed."

Sleestak turned to the necrophiliac devil-goat: "Can you speak to the dead? ...ask your skeleton what are his commands?"

[thesniperknight1]

Gagel runs after Fingal, "Too many bones!! I have seen less bones in all my days as a pirate!! But it most be like heaven for ya, huh Bene?", Gagel laughs as he runs holding his injured back.