The Old Observatory

[patransom]

With 5 mighty whacks from his flail, Tex batters down the front door of the observatory. As it crashes into splinters, the party can see the room beyond. Furniture fragments, smashed planks, broken glass, and other detritus cram this large antechamber. At the east end of the room, two upended tables form a crude barricade. A closed door marks the south wall.

The party, however, does not have much time to make observations, because...

Surprise Round

Just after the door collapses, three crossbow bolts fly through the now-empty doorway towards Tex. The first hits him, the second flies over his head, and the third whacks into the door frame right next to his head [6 hit points damage]. Furthermore, the crossbow bolt that hit Tex seems to be coated with some kind of poison [Tex needs a DC15 Fort save or he will take 3 points of STR damage]. The party now sees the source of the crossbow bolts: three skeletons holding heavy crossbows crouch behind the upended tables!

ACTIVE EFFECTS

Initiative Order Lola Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp, needs a DC15 Fort save to avoid 3 points of STR damage Cyrius of the Sudden Blade Marcus Tilsworth Skeletons ---> Next validation

[Duniagdra]

Real quickly, Marcus barks a command to his mates, “Delay yourselves on my mark. Act once I've done my task. I'll try to remove their cover.” He draws a wand and points it into the room. A faint vapor of air flows from the tip as he softly calls, “Serve me.” There's no effect, but he calls into the room, I command you to tip the two tables flat to the floor!

ACTIVE EFFECTS

Casting Unseen Servant Range: 35 Feet Duration: 300 Rounds Servant will appear at 1615 to pull that table down to expose S1 and S2. Next round he will pull the other table down. With the map showing the legs facing the skeletons, the tables can easily be tipped away from the skeletons to lay flat on the ground.

[CGM3]

Cyrius will wait until the table goes down, then move to 1616 and thrust his mind blade (which is currently a rapier, not a short sword, I forgot that difference in the Pathfinder version) at S1. If somebody else gets her cute self to 1616 before him -- I name no names -- he will go to 1615 and thrust at S2 instead.

Cyrius makes his first attack on the crossbow-wielding skeletons: 1d20+7 = 8 + 7 = 15, base damage if that's a hit is 1d6+2 = 2 + 2 = 4

(As this is piercing damage, I suspect it will have no effect on the skeleton. Cyrius will use a move action next turn to manifest his mind blade as a longsword.)

[kabkal]

Lola waits until Marcus goes and then lets fly a wave of positive energy at the skeletons.

ACTIVE EFFECTS

Channel Energy: 30' burst doing 2d6 damage to undead, Will DC 13 for 1/2 damage. Energy Blast against skeletons. (2d6=11)

[tdsprouse]

Tex waits till the cover is taken care of and runs into the room, to 1615. Attacking S2 with his flail.

Atk;Dam (1d20+5=16, 1d8+2=4)

[patransom]

Round 1

Quickly, Marcus barks a command to his mates, “Delay yourselves on my mark. Act once I've done my task. I'll try to remove their cover.” He draws a wand and points it into the room. A faint vapor of air flows from the tip as he softly calls, “Serve me.” There's no obvious effect, but he calls into the room, I command you to tip the two tables flat to the floor! As soon as he does so, the table in front of S1 and S2 flops over on its front. If skeletons could look surprised, these would be.

Having waited patiently for Marcus, Lola lets fly a wave of positive energy at the skeletons. With a sudden *poof*, each of the skeletons collapses into a pile of bones.

Tex easily shrugs off the effect of the poison Tex's Fort save vs. Poison (including Dwarf racial bonus) (1d20+5+2=22)

Combat Ends

ACTIVE EFFECTS

Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp damage

[kabkal]

Once Lola can walk in she will go look over were the skeletons were and check to see if they had anything worth while. And then continue with a quick walk about the room.

[CGM3]

Cyrius will move to 1813, re-manifesting his mind blade in its longsword form, and watch the doorway there.

[tdsprouse]

When the Skeletons drop, Tex hangs his flail on his belt and draws his bow, more comfortable from range.

“Well, look like we're in the right place. i hope those weren't the bones we're lookin for.”

[patransom]

OUT OF CHARACTER

To clarify, Lola's positive energy burst did not cause the skeletons to crumble to dust. It simply made them inanimate piles of bones. This is important, as you will see...

 

Cyrius moves over to watch the door and Tex draws his bow, while Lola make her way across the littered room to see if the skeletons left anything worthwhile. She notes that each of the three had a heavy crossbow and five bolts (probably poisoned). Examining the piles of bones remaining from the skeletons, she notes slight deformities that she recognizes as signs of the Red Death plague (I refer you back to this post). Based on the size of the skeletons, she guesses they were two adults and one young adult. A further search of the room turns up nothing of use.

ACTIVE EFFECTS

Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp damage

[tdsprouse]

Tex moves to 1715, “huh, Maybe those are teh bones we're looking for. do we have anything to cary them? or should we come back for them later? seems like we're missing a set anyway.”

[patransom]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Waiting for the party to do something... anything...

 

[tdsprouse]

“Alrighty, lets move”

Tex moves to 1713, Opens door and steps back to 1714.

[Duniagdra]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Sorry about me absence.

 

a low, calm voice, Marcus says: “Lets leave these bones for now. I'm sure we'll run into others beyond that door. Let's press on. Take their crossbows. If they reanimate, they'll need to find new weapons.”

[CGM3]

“Tex makes a good point,” Cyrius observes dubiously. “Are these the bones of the Land family? How do we tell, one way or another?”

[patransom]

In spite of Lola's astute observations about the bones, there is some discussion of whether the skeletons were, in fact, once members of the Land family. Other topics are also discussed, such as whether to take the bones, their crossbows, etc.

While the discussion continues, Tex takes decisive action, opening the only other door to the room. Beyond is a hallway leading east and west. There is a door at the east end and a row of four doors along the south wall. Peering down the hall, Tex also notes that the corridor branches off to the north just before the end.

ACTIVE EFFECTS

Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp damage

[Duniagdra]

Marcus will command his servant to open the door at 1811/1911.

[tdsprouse]

Tex will move to 1611, bow ready for something to come around the corner.

[CGM3]

“Well, if these people died of the Red Plague, they could be the older members of the Land family,” Cyrius notes. “We should remember to take 'em with us when we leave.” With that assertion, he proceeds to 1512 and watches the side passage with his weapon in hand.

[patransom]

Tex and Cyrius move into the hallway while Marcus commands his invisible servant to open the first door. Beyond is a small room. The simple chamber hosts a plain bed, a small open footlocker, and an unremarkable wooden dresser.

Looking around the corner, Cyrius can see another door on the east wall of that branch of the hallway.

ACTIVE EFFECTS

Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp damage

[CGM3]

Cyrius remains at 1512, watching the door at the east end of the corridor and the door in the corridor going north, while Tex and the others investigate the doors along the south wall of the corridor.

[kabkal]

Lola will move into the room and look around, stopping at 1411.

[tdsprouse]

Tex remains at the corner, covering the door.

Anything in thare? He asked, whispering over his shoulder.

[Duniagdra]

“I'm guessing the doors in the south wall to be just bedrooms of a sort.” He'll then command the servant to open the next door east of his position.

[patransom]

As Lola moves into the hallway, Marcus commands his servant to open the next door. As he guessed, the next room is also a bedroom, identical to the first one.

ACTIVE EFFECTS

Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp damage

[CGM3]

Cyrius remains where he is, watching those two doors and trusting his companions to handle the doors along the south.

[Duniagdra]

Marcus commands the servant to open the next two doors. “I'd rather to know that they are as they are than just let them leave.”

[kabkal]

“"I agree with opening these doors just to be safe. Do we need to look though each one just to be sure they are empty?"” Seeing there is no one done south, Lola will move to 1413 do be out of the way as the other two doors are opened.

[patransom]

Two more doors opened. Two more bedrooms revealed.

ACTIVE EFFECTS

Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp damage

[CGM3]

Cyrius moves to 1314 and keeps watch on the door adjoining 1315.