Chapter Two: Back into the Mountain

[bobloblah]

Wait, which hallway have we been fighting down? There's the east hallway that leads to the north-south passage with doors at either end, the hallway we haven't explored to the south end of this room, and a hallway to the west back towards the entrance... where have we been fighting, what's on fire, and where are the new sounds coming from?

[drpete]

You are in the T shaped room with the two dwarf statues. The attempt to break them loose seems to have alerted these skeletons, who came out of the hallway in the southwest corner of this room. That's where the fire and big cluster is.

The east hallway out of this room ends in a north-south T. One of the doors in that hallway just slammed open and howls from that hallway are answering these skeletons' howls. Again, your enemies are being reinforced, while your flanks are exposed. You have a bit of warning here, though, and can reposition yourselves if you want to.

[bobloblah]

Thanks, I misunderstood which junction we were fighting at. My fault.

[Lamech]

Steel will aim and fire at the new group of skeletons. Firing into melee is hard and all.

[drpete]

Here's a tactical map... sorry, I'm generally a bit too busy right now to sit down and do these every round, but this is the basic situation...

Skeleton Fight.PNG (393.22 KiB) Viewed 364 times

Down in the corner, there's the automaton fighting a skeleton, Ranulf is behind him, with Audi and Emm as the spear wielders (boxed). The dwarves are behind them, and the other guys are up north of them.

[bobloblah]

Steel will aim and fire at the new group of skeletons. Firing into melee is hard and all.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's not be too hasty!

Here's a tactical map... sorry, I'm generally a bit too busy right now to sit down and do these every round, but this is the basic situation...

No worries! It's not needed every round. Plus, I may have misunderstood, but I don't think everyone was so confused.

[kalstone]

Solaine moves to help the automaton with the last skeleton if possible. Solaine will fit an arrow to her bow and fire at any skeleton she can see coming down the east corridor. Only if there is no chance of hitting a friendly target though.

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr will move to just north of the statues and prepare his last bottle of oil to be thrown into the hallway to the east.

[drpete]

Round 4

At the sound of the approaching reinforcements, the group shifts its focus northward.

Solaine readies her bow, and Torgyr readies his oil. They see the black skeletons start to come marching up from the southern end of the T intersection. Unnervingly, while some skeletons are turning to move into this room, others seem to be continuing to march north. Two come toward you, hissing, and two go north. The T intersection is jammed with 4 additional skeletons, with more coming up from the south fork.

Solaine fires off a shot, which pings off of her target (1 damage). Torgyr sees that either the T would make a good target, if it continues to be that crowded, or soon the entry corridor will fill up as additional skeletons move toward you. Steel shoots the other with a more substantial blow (7 damage).

By the other entrance, Audi stabs over the automaton's shoulder at the skeleton (1 damage). Ranulf calls Emm to come with him, and they rush north to block the entry of the new skeletons. Emm tries to stab one with her spear, but misses.

Ajax moves in and destroys the automaton's foe before Galen can redirect it (3 damage). It turns and begins to move north to assist, as does the automaton.

Climent is moving toward the northwest exit, and Randolpho is nowhere to be seen (around the corner, in the darkness).

Actions?

[Dogma]

Ranulf grunts and strains as he uses his shield to push back at the advancing skeletons. "I'm not sure how long I can hold them back, ' he cries as he swings his sword at one of the skeletons bony heads.

[kalstone]

Solaine draws her swords and moves beside Ranulf in the front rank, slashing at the nearest skeleton.

[bobloblah]

"Not so mindless as undead abominations...they move to cut us off!" Galen shouts.

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr shouts to the others.

"Fall back! To the Orc room!"

He lights and throws his last flask at the entrance to the chamber, hoping to catch as many skeletons in the blast as possible.

Initiative: [1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3
Thrown Flask: [1d20+2] = 14+2 = 16

[Lamech]

Steel will fallback to the orc room, taking any clear shots he can as he goes. Fall back to the orcs! That doesn't sound quite right...

[drpete]

Round 5: Split Decisions

Audi and Ajax are first to move. Ajax gets in past the party members to attack the skeletons, unsuccessfully. Also moves up to attack, but misses. You see skeletons continue to move north in the back of the T intersection.

Solaine moves in to attack, missing. The skeletons in the front rank attack Ranulf and Solaine. Solaine suffers a minor scratch (1 damage). Emm weakly stabs one of the skeletons with her spear (1 damage). There are a total of 6 skeletons trying to press into the room here now, and no more moving north.

Torgyr's flask goes off in the midst of the skeletons, as he shouts out "Fall back! To the Orc room!". One in the middle is directly hit (2 damage) and burning oil splashes on the other 5 (1, 2, 2, 3, 3 damage). Ranulf hits his foe for 3 damage. Climent moves back west and around the corner, leading the way, shouting "Come on!!!". This illuminates that corridor and the 4 way intersection, revealing Randolpho hiding in the hallway (no more shadows there).

Steel shoots off a bolt as he retreats, missing.

Galen calls out "Not so mindless as undead abominations...they move to cut us off!"

The automaton moves forward to bolster the line, but its attacks are fruitless.

A so-so round of rolls yields damage to the skeletons, but none go down. Are you going to retreat and let them past the choke point of the corridor? Are Randolpho and Steel going to follow Climent to the orc door? Will Galen stay with the warriors, or plunge them into darkness? Is anybody going to go after those bags? Don't forget, you have enough people at this east corridor that some could retreat and others hold the line, if you want to go that way... you have Ranulf, Solaine, the Automaton, Ajax, Emm and Audi there.

Added: Just to be super specific, Steel in in the turn of the corridor going north, Randolpho is 10 feet north of him, and Climent is now 10 feet north of Randolpho. Steel could get *to* the door to the orc room, but not through it without running next round, or in it if he runs (and doesn't trip). Torgyr and Galen are somewhere in the middle of the north wall, and would need about 3 rounds to reach the orc door, unless they run and don't trip. It will take Solaine and Ranulf more time than that to get there.

[barkman]

Climent, Hold, we need to gather the party before venturing forth, You'll leave them in Darkness!

Randolpho will unlimber his quarterstaff, as he attempts to rally people together.

[drpete]

Climent isn't slowing down. Let me know if you want to move either back towards the main group, stay in this hallway, or go with Climent. You can also try to physically restrain him, I suppose.

[barkman]

Seeing Climent take off, Randolpho heads back towards the main group, calling over his shoulder "Climent, access to this spellbook is yours if you come with us, we need to stick together"

[drpete]

As you consider your next moves, here's a tactical map.

Skeleton Fight 2.PNG (357.13 KiB) Viewed 266 times

In the hallway, there's Climent in the north, Randolpho, then Steel.

Along the north wall, Galen (black figure) is near Torgyr. They are also near the dwarven corpse statues.

In the melee, Ranulf and Solaine are in the front line (with Ajax, who is not very visible here). The automaton is just south of the hallway, trying to get in the fight. Emm and Audi are in the second rank (boxed, with Emm in green, Audi in pink)

[Lamech]

Steel will hold for now and fire a bolt at a skeleton if he can manage a clear shot. Fall back. Let the machine hold them. It should give us enough time to get away!