0. Prelude

[hedgeknight]

Festus follows Sparrow inside and immediately moves to his right, pointing toward the far corner with his crossbow, looking sharply for signs of movement.

[Alethan]

Ciar bravely stands guard outside the chapel, hoping up onto one of the solid gravestones to get a better view of the surrounding area and make sure they aren't walking right into an ambush.

[dmw71]

Ciar spreads word of Festus' discovery and the group advances towards the structure while the halfling remains behind and climbs atop a sturdy looking headstone to stand watch to safeguard against a potential ambush.

Sparrow, with his curved blade, is the first to enter with Festus directly behind him, using his crossbow to indicate the far corner where the noise was heard. Madrevin, with his sword drawn, reaches the entrance and is set to enter next, intent on investigating the open coffin. Fulp with his short sword and Sylvan with his spear stand just outside the entrance as well, with Eohannud standing behind his companions.


Aware that its presence has been detected, a hulking, humanoid resembling a hyena with greenish gray skin and a short reddish gray mane erupts from its hiding spot in the far corner and stares at those standing at the entrance. It carries a large club, which it points at Sparrow menacingly. "Purus nulla eget pellentesque eu!" it curses loudly in a foreign tongue and begins to rush between the two raised coffins towards the group.


---

Actions?

Just a reminder, I will make all initiative rolls.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sparrow immediately sprints to the north west corner of the room in order to allow more of his companions to enter.

If the creature tries to attack him he will use his curved sword on it, wherever he ends up.

Attack w/ Scimitar [1d20] = 15 Damage [1d8] = 2

[Starbeard]

Eohannud walks into the doorway and flicks his cape to the side with the back of his hand. He waves his hand casually at the humanoid and incants an arcane phrase, 'Reprehenderit non proident!'

[AleBelly]

Sylvan enters the structure , but only just. He steps just left of the entrance and pulls a pinch of green leaves from his belt pouch.

[onlyme]

Full stands guard in case others come from behind to help the creature. ..

[dmw71]

The hulking hyena-like creature begins to rush between the coffins and elicits a prompt responses from the group. Eohannud quickly steps into the doorway and flicks his cape to the side and waves his hand at the humanoid, incanting an arcane phrase, 'Reprehenderit non proident!'. A look of bewilderment crosses his face after his efforts don't appear to have the intended effect. Sylvan quickly follows Eohannud into the structure and steps just left of the entrance. He pulls a pinch of green leaves from his belt pouch and, after muttering some unintelligible words, the charging creature becomes outlined in a pale glowing light.

Sparrow quickly moves to the northwest corner of the room and spins to face the onrushing threat with his curved blade. When the creature makes a move in his direction, he lashes out with his scimitar and nicks the beast, drawing first blood. Madrevin rushes into the room and brings his longsword down at the beast with a vicious slash that narrowly misses. Seeing the critter already engaged, Festus drops his crossbow and draws his axe. In a well-practiced motion, the powerful dwarf swings his battle axe and connects solidly causing the foe to collapse into a bloody mess.


Now, seemingly without threat, you find yourselves in an above ground burial vault. The largely empty space is in a clear state of disrepair due to the missing roof. The floor is covered in foliage and mud, with water pooled in various spots creating a mucky covering. Two stone slabs, each approximately two feet in height, emerge from the floor off to the right, and upon each slab is a wooden coffin. The lid to the rightmost coffin is open. The smell inside is putrid, and definitely the source of the "death" smell detected outside.

Actions?


Experience Points

Flind: +20xp
First successful encounter: +100xp

Note: Unless otherwise specified, all amounts above are unmodified and per character.

Rolls

Initiative: Players [1d10] = 4, Monsters [1d10] = 10
Sparrow (1-50) or Festus (51-100): [1d100] = 33
Save versus 'Spells' (17): [1d20] = 19
Madrevin with longsword: [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13, [1d8] = 7

[Alethan]

Hearing the sounds of fighting, followed by silence, Ciar quickly scans the horizon again, looking for any kind of motion. He also takes a moment and uses his vantage point to see if he can tell what kind of ships are in the harbor.

If he does not spot anything approaching, he jumps down off the headstone and heads inside the building to see what the ruckus was all about.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sparrow gives Festus a nod of approval after his mighty death blow to the strange creature.

Impressive attack!

He begins looking over the body of the deceased to seek out any loot it might have.

[Alethan]

Once he enters the chapel, Ciar looks around. He spots the dead dog-headed animal and frowns, "Never seen nothin' like that before..."

Covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve, he approaches the open casket to see if he can get a look inside.

[spanningtree]

Ai, nice way to way to put it to rest. Madrevin will say looking at the thing. You right Ciar, odd looking indeed. I am thinking it may travel in packs... He will reconnoiter the room to make sure they are indeed alone.

[onlyme]

Fulp moves toward the commotion inside the ruins, curious as to the source of the smell.

[AleBelly]

"Well done" calls Sylvan. He sniffs his now empty fingers and runs them on his cloak. He allows others to inspect the open coffin and moves to within ten feet of the closed one. He keeps watch over it, spear in hand.

[hedgeknight]

Placing a boot on the dead creature, Festus jerks his axe free. He accepts the grats from his companions with a nod and a slight smile and then walks over to stand near Sparrow, guarding the unopened coffin while also watching the entrance they just came through.

[dmw71]

Sparrow gives Festus a nod of approval as the dwarf places a boot on the dead creature and jerks his axe free. As the dwarf wipes clean his blade, Sparrow kneels beside the strange hyena-fiend to inspect its fallen form.

Sylvan sniffs his now empty fingers and runs them on his cloak as he stands a fair distance away from the coffins alongside Eohannud.

Ciar and Fulp, hearing the commotion inside the burial vault, converge on the structure to offer their assistance, and are pleased to discover the threat has already been eliminated. The pair cover their noses and mouths in an attempt to diffuse as much of the stench as possible upon their arrival.

On the far wall, a six-armed candelabrum rests in a small alcove, unlit. Ciar, fueled by his curiosity, doesn't hesitate and moves towards the open casket. Madrevin follows the halfling and looks to perform a reconnoiter of the room to make sure there are no further threats.

Almost immediately, the elf halts his investigation and calls attention to the far corner of the room. There, previously out of view of the entrance, are the motionless forms of an actual hyena and a male human wearing a fine suit of plate mail.

---

Actions?

[AleBelly]

"HEY HO!" yells Sulvan. "Are you hurt over there?"

[Alethan]

Ciar moves around to the right of the stone bases, near the candelabra, assuming both to be dead or incapacitated, given the previous events.

If they prove to be already dead, Ciar climbs the stone slab with the open coffin and peers inside, but touches nothing.

[Starbeard]

Eohannud walks over to Ciar to inspect the casket and candelabra as well. 'Now, wherefore the open casket? A tomb-reave, perhaps?' He casually examines the fallen creature as he approaches, looking for blood or flesh about the mouth and wondering aloud if they had interrupted its luncheon.

[hedgeknight]

Once he is aware of the other dead bodies in the room, Festus retrieves his crossbow and takes up a guard position at the entrance to the open tomb. "I'd say the human might have been on duty here when the hyena and its master came calling. He'd be a resident of the town and someone needs to know about it before we go pilfering his body."

Festus says little more, being glad to breathe a little fresher air on the outside of the tomb.