[GROUP 2] The Skeletal Warriors

[flightcommander]

Bosco Hrusp

Putting down his axe for a moment and leaning on his knees to catch his breath, Bosco takes a closer look at the scattered fragments of their fallen opponents, sifting through the skulls and ribs, curious to see what sort of stuff they were made of if not bone, and the vintage of their arms and armor.

"Perhaps once they were men like ourselves ... Frere Reynauld, is there not some invocation one might speak over these remains, so they remain forever at rest?"

After stowing his axe and fetching his spear and lantern from the statue room, Bosco draws forth a tidbit of dried meat and a spring onion from his belt pouch and hungrily devours them while further examining the skeletons, and pondering the party's next steps.

[Simon]

Wincing at the pain from his shoulder, Kroth nods to his hounds.

"Good dogs."

He begins going through the skeleton arms and armour. Anything that isn't taken by others, and looks saleable, he collects in a pile. If there are any longswords or other d8+ weapons, he'll take one for his own use.

Kroth speaks to the others:

"We won't survive another battle like that. Let's find out what they're guarding, take any treasure, then get out of here."

[deanflemming]

"I am not a priest unfortunately, well learned in all such things, only a faithful pilgrim and follower of Typhon. But let me think ... "

Frere Reynauld pauses to ponder the spiritual situation of the remains before him:

He talks to himself aloud: "Are men who serve undeath d**ned by such service? Might these have been followers of Turms Termax, and what difference does this make?

"Is the best course to utterly destroy the bones somehow? Or being now smitten, are these bones but dust without significance?"

[tavis]

Ursus's act reminds Locfir that he was also going to don the smallest of the skeleton's chainmail, so he does (and takes a scimitar as well - does it have a belt and scabbard?)

[arokh]

Eindri sees to his wound, doing what he can to bind it up, and helping the others who have been wounded as needed.

He keeps a sharp eye out in case anything is drawn to the area by the noise of the combat while we prepare to check out the room the skeletons were guarding.

[carlnash]

I cautiously inspect the door the skeletons were guarding. What material is it constructed of?Is there an obvious lock? Visible hinges? Does it look like it would open inward or outward? Are there any glyphs or carvings adorning it? If I cannot detect any signs of immediate danger through my inspections and by a careful prodding with my pole, I will lay my ear against the door and attempt to listen for any signs of movement beyond it.

[jamesm]

Oct 14, 2009 18:03:09 GMT -6 robertsconley said:

Argyll likewise stoops downs and examines the remains of the skeletons. Afterwards he looks for a 1 or 2 inch piece and stashes it in his pouch.

On closer inspection, you can see that the skeletal warriors are indeed made of bone -- human bone by the looks of it -- but that the bones are shot through with thin silvery-black "veins" of metal, perhaps to reinforce and strengthen it.

The damage done to the creatures shattered enough of their bones that there are plenty of fragments, both small and large, to collect as you wish.

[jamesm]

Oct 14, 2009 18:36:11 GMT -6 tavis said:

Does the metallic element make it substantially heavier than bone?

Substantially? No, but it does noticeably make the bones heavier when you heft them in your hands.

[jamesm]

Oct 15, 2009 0:07:10 GMT -6 billybillerson said:

Ursus will remove his leather armor and don a skeleton's chainmail. He'll equip himself with one of their shields. He'll also take a scimitar for a close-quarters weapon. He'll place his leather armor in a corner of the statue room to be retrieved later.

He'll also look for the 3 bolts he fired to see if any of them are still in usable condition.(Let me know)

The bolts are all in re-usable condition -- most of them missed their targets, after all -- and the chainmail you don feels sturdy despite its obvious age. The armor bears the the Thulian caduceus, the winged, serpent-staff associated with ancient imperial military units. The scimitar is likewise in good shape and of fine manufacture.

[jamesm]

Oct 15, 2009 0:21:21 GMT -6 flightcommander said:

Bosco Hrusp

Putting down his axe for a moment and leaning on his knees to catch his breath, Bosco takes a closer look at the scattered fragments of their fallen opponents, sifting through the skulls and ribs, curious to see what sort of stuff they were made of if not bone, and the vintage of their arms and armor.

"Perhaps once they were men like ourselves ... Frere Reynauld, is there not some invocation one might speak over these remains, so they remain forever at rest?"

After stowing his axe and fetching his spear and lantern from the statue room, Bosco draws forth a tidbit of dried meat and a spring onion from his belt pouch and hungrily devours them while further examining the skeletons, and pondering the party's next steps.

The skeletal remains are largely shattered and broken. Though no mage yourself, it seems unlikely that these particular skeletons will once again resume a semblance of "life."

[jamesm]

Oct 15, 2009 1:16:04 GMT -6 Simon said:

He begins going through the skeleton arms and armour. Anything that isn't taken by others, and looks saleable, he collects in a pile. If there are any longswords or other d8+ weapons, he'll take one for his own use.

You find several curved scimitar-like blades among the skeletons' remains. These weapons are of high quality and bear maker's marks that indicate they are of Thulian manufacture, making them reasonably old as well -- at least two centuries, perhaps more.

(These weapons deal 1D8 points of damage)

[jamesm]

Oct 15, 2009 4:57:26 GMT -6 tavis said:

Ursus's act reminds Locfir that he was also going to don the smallest of the skeleton's chainmail, so he does (and takes a scimitar as well - does it have a belt and scabbard?)

The smallest suit of chainmail fits you poorly but it does fit. Provided you don't intend to run quickly in it or perform any other similarly fast movement, it should suffice.

The swords all have belts and scabbards associated with them.

[jamesm]

Oct 15, 2009 8:10:14 GMT -6 arokh said:

Eindri sees to his wound, doing what he can to bind it up, and helping the others who have been wounded as needed

Everyone who binds their wounds can restore 2 hit points of damage without the need for magical healing.

[jamesm]

Oct 15, 2009 10:15:29 GMT -6 carlnash said:

I cautiously inspect the door the skeletons were guarding. What material is it constructed of?Is there an obvious lock? Visible hinges? Does it look like it would open inward or outward? Are there any glyphs or carvings adorning it? If I cannot detect any signs of immediate danger through my inspections and by a careful prodding with my pole, I will lay my ear against the door and attempt to listen for any signs of movement beyond it.

The door at the end of the hallway is made of metal, probably steel or some alloy of it, and does have some type of "lock" consisting of three grooves or slits that run parallel to one another. There is no obvious handle to the door nor is there any window or slit on its surface.

Placing your ear on its cold surface, you can hear nothing on the other side.

[jamesm]

Wrap up anything you want to do in the hallway in this thread. I'll start a new one later, describing the hallway the skeletons were guarding and we can continue from there.

[carlnash]

I assist the injured in bandaging their wounds,

"I knew these bandages would come in handy for something besides disguising myself as a cripple!"

When everyone has gathered themselves together and finished picking up what loot the skeletons left behind -

"I hope Argyll was right - those metal-infused heaps of bones MUST have been guarding something important. What say you brave men, shall I attempt to open the lock on yon door?

[arokh]

After Eindri finishes binding his wound, he picks up one of the scimitars and scabbards, selecting one that appears to be in good repair, and puts it on his belt. He's not quite ready to give up the sword his father crafted for him, but he does admire the scimitar's workmanship.

(Since he's only 2 HP down now, he resumes his place in the front line behind Kirsa and anyone else investigating the door.)

[Simon]

Oct 15, 2009 12:26:48 GMT -6 jamesm said:

Oct 15, 2009 1:16:04 GMT -6 Simon said:

He begins going through the skeleton arms and armour. Anything that isn't taken by others, and looks saleable, he collects in a pile. If there are any longswords or other d8+ weapons, he'll take one for his own use.

You find several curved scimitar-like blades among the skeletons' remains. These weapons are of high quality and bear maker's marks that indicate they are of Thulian manufacture, making them reasonably old as well -- at least two centuries, perhaps more.

(These weapons deal 1D8 points of damage)

Kroth grins, and takes a pair of scimitars. He hands the longsword back to Kirsa.

"Didn't do me much good, I'm afraid."

[Simon]

Oct 15, 2009 12:29:17 GMT -6 jamesm said:

Oct 15, 2009 8:10:14 GMT -6 arokh said:

Eindri sees to his wound, doing what he can to bind it up, and helping the others who have been wounded as needed

Everyone who binds their wounds can restore 2 hit points of damage without the need for magical healing.

Kroth binds his wounded shoulder, enlisting Kirsa's assistance.

[flightcommander]

Bosco Hrusp

Thanking Kirsa for the bandage, Bosco pries a scimitar from the bony fingers of a lone skeletal arm and affixes it to his backpack somehow. "This will surely come in handy during my next barter!"

Refreshed after eating a morsel, taking a brief rest and seeing to his wounds, Bosco raises the lantern and has a good look up and down the hall. "Well lads, which way's it gonna be? Our feisty burglar here seems eager to test the metal door. I have no objection, only I feel a bit spooked with so many doorways up and down the hallway."

[billybillerson]

Ursus reloads his crossbow and gets back in marching order, moving a little slower now that he's equipped like a Thulean skeleton.

[deanflemming]

Frere Reynauld accepts a bandage and the aid of Kirsa. Then he resumes his place guarding the rear of the party as preparations are made to broach the doors.

[tavis]

Once he has donned his own armor, Locfir will set about loading his mule, The Silent One, with as much of the skeleton's equipment and remains as he judges the mule can carry. He takes the unclaimed suits of armor and lies them across The Silent One's back, cinching them under the mule's belly to hold them in place. The unclaimed scimitars will be tied up into a pair of bundles, which he'll hang beneath either side of the mule's saddlebags. Finally, one of the saddlebags will be filled with intact skulls, another with thigh-bones and knuckle-bones.

Once that's done - hopefully with the help of anyone he can enlist - Locfir will take his place at the back of the marching order, tending the mules and ready to move on.

[carlnash]

Oct 15, 2009 22:43:21 GMT -6 flightcommander said:

Bosco Hrusp
Refreshed after eating a morsel, taking a brief rest and seeing to his wounds, Bosco raises the lantern and has a good look up and down the hall. "Well lads, which way's it gonna be? Our feisty burglar here seems eager to test the metal door. I have no objection, only I feel a bit spooked with so many doorways up and down the hallway."

"Tis true that leaving unexplored doors at our back may be inviting trouble. But each door may have further dangers beyond it, while we may well have already defeated the guardians of the room beyond the skeletons. If we seek fame and fortune, it seems we should explore beyond that door first - as shrewd Argyll surmised, there must surely be some great treasure in a chamber so well guarded!"

[barkman]

As Locfir is loading up the mule, Issa motions for someone else to take guard duty, and grabs a suit of chainmail and a scimitar. Looking at Locfir
"Good idea to take these with us, we may need to get into disquise later in the complex, or they may be sellable in town."

Issa changes his gear for the new suit, and rolls the other up into his backpack.

[Broozer Bear]

Liss will check to see if Kirsa is still in one piece. Then Liss will rifle through the skeletons' remains to see if there are any coin or trinket to be had. Then he will try to recover his (and any other arrows), then he wil rest for a spell and only after that wil he look to see if anyone in the party needs any help.

[billybillerson]

Ursus take a few practice-swings in the air with his new scimitar. "Those thulians did fine work!" he says.

[robertsconley]

Argyll gathers up a pound of skeleton fragments, bundles it up in a cloth and stows it on his mule. Then he resumes his place in the marching order.