Bring Me A Small Lyre
The situation is what it says on the tin. The Bard, coughing and sneezing, doesn't take offense if you're at a distance as he explains the situation to you. "The Archmage... *choo* Saraliel long ago took the Gnomish lyre of renown from its creators. And liked it so much, she was buried with it. At least, that's the punchline of the tale I've told for years. I think it's true. Here's a map to her tomb. Go down there and get it!"
The tomb, when you arrive, has the appearance of a stone box, with a dark wooden door in front, standing at the edge of a forest.
Well thank goodness Skribbles wears gloves, because she's not going anywhere near the plague if she can help it. Following the path on the map to the tomb, she looks at it when they arrive and nods her head a bit, taking her warhammer off of her back. "Well, this isn't ominous at all, is it."
True to his nature Zeke does indeed stay at a distance from the bard, though he seems to hover there worriedly. The man seems well enough off in spite of his cold in any case. Though as they leave the sith-makar steps in closely enough to quitely suggest a trip to his local healer for something to take the edge of that cold off. Thankfully it doesn't seem to have any of the hallmarks of the plague... yet.
So they traverse their way to the toumb and Zeke stands stairing at the door with some caution. He walks with a staff in one hand, using it as though it functions as a walking stick though its bearing is also that of a weapon. He presses forward, cautiously tapping the door with his staff to see if it's trapped or something else dangerous. "Is it? Thisss one iss alwaysss interesssted to sssee the placesss where ssoftssskinss bury their dead." He opens the door cautiously and motions politely for Skribbles to enter.
GAME: Zeke rolls perception: (15)+2: 17
GAME: Skribbles rolls perception: (2)+10: 12
It's pitch dark in there, once the door is open. Skribbles can see in there though, right down the stairs, where she just makes out a pair of... skeletons. Standing upright. With... blue lights in their eye sockets.
Skribbles blinks a few times as her eyes adjust from light to dark, the white orbs of her eyes now mirroring that of a cat or other creature of the night. When her eyes settle, she looks around and finally spies the skeletons at the bottom of the stairs. She reaches up and places a hand on Zeke's arm, most likely because that's as high as she can reach. She whispers and points down the stairs as though Zeke can see just as easily as she does, "Skeletons. Undead. The game is afoot."
Zeke holds the door open, his eyes sharp on it. He is in fact about to speak when Skribbles speaks up and then... touches him. On the arm. He lets out a startled yell and jumps back away from the woman, almost dropping his staff in his anxious attempt to flee from the touch. Only once his heart has started to slow down do her words register, and shamefully his eyes drift to where he can not quite make out the skeletons. They surely know that they're here now...
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Erendriel has dropped a TIMESTOP!
Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Erendriel to instruct you further. You may earn RPP by logging a scene for a GM.
For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.
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GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 24.
It is now Skeleton1's turn! Skribbles is next!
The rightmost of the two skeletons reacts, climbing up the stairs, and taking a swing right at Skribbles with its long sword!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (9)+7: 16
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 20.
It is now Skribbles' turn! Skeleton2 is next!
GAME: Zeke refreshes spells.
GAME: Skribbles rolls 1: (12)+1: 13
GAME: Skribbles rolls weapon1: (10)+4: 14
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 7.
It is now Skeleton2's turn! Zeke is next!
Skribbles looks at Zeke as he yelps out, shaking her head a bit in disbelief. "We have to talk about your tomb ga...." and then the skeleton is on her. Fortunately it missed but she's not going to, that's for sure. Her warhammer is out and she takes a swing in return but hitting a bone creature is difficult enough, she she also misses, the warhammer clanging on stone.
GAME: Skribbles rolls weapon1: (10)+4: 14
Skeletons turn out to be good at squeezing past each other in a narrow stairwell. Fortunately (for him) being missed by a swing by Skribbles, he comes up beside, and swings himself at her!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (13)+7: 20
And the sword hits!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 4.
It is now Zeke's turn! Skeleton1 is next!
GAME: Zeke rolls 3d6: (11): 11
Seeing Skribbles in a tight spot, and not wanting to get closer for a number of reasons, Zeke instead lifts his staff slightly off the ground and murmurs a prayer to the Dragonfather in draconic. The ancient tongue slithers off his tongue easily; far more easily than does the common language of the land. The staff comes down and a wave of healing energy pours forth from him, sinking into the bones of the undead. Only then and hesitantly does he move forward, hoping to draw the attention of at least one of them away from Skribbles. "Thisss one isss very sssorry."
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 24.
It is now Skeleton1's turn! Skribbles is next!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (2)+7: 9
Right Skeleton is flustered by the show of force by Zeke, swinging again with his sharp, gleaming blade at Skribbles, but isnt' even close!
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 20.
It is now Skribbles' turn! Skeleton2 is next!
GAME: Skribbles casts Summon Monster I. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15
Doggie appears beside Skribbles, and bites!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+2: (5)+2: 7
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 7.
It is now Skeleton2's turn! Zeke is next!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (15)+7: 22
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d8+3: (4)+3: 7
Oh no! Skeleton doesn't take too kindly to being bitten at. He swings at the dog, and fells the summoned creature in one blow...
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 4.
It is now Zeke's turn! Skeleton1 is next!
Skribbles looks at what she's up against and decides she needs a little bit of help. She shouts as she raises her warhammer, "Come doggo of Reos, I summon thee to help me smite the undead!" Her warhammer glows for a moment...and in charges the dog, growling and leaping in for a bite....and jumping right past to miss. She grumbles a bit and shakes her had. Then she spies the skeleton kill her dog...and a rage comes into her...a deep...deep...rage. "You...killed...my dog...."
GAME: Zeke rolls weapon1: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 24.
It is now Skeleton1's turn! Skribbles is next!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (20)+7: 27
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (2)+7: 9
Zeke being close enough for an attack now, lifts his staff in both hands and makes to hit the skeleton on the head. He doesn't account for the dog dissappearing in a puff of smoke as it were however, and the attack overbalances him instead. He stumbles into the open door, and collides with the wooden door - hard. A throaty noise of pain emits from the blue scaled sith-makar and he steps quickly back away from the offending inanimate object.
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d8+3: (3)+3: 6
The other skeleton, freed of dog bites attempts, again swings ast Skribbles, and this time manages to get in a good sword swipe!
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 20.
It is now Skribbles' turn! Skeleton2 is next!
GAME: Skribbles rolls weapon1: (6)+4: 10
Skribbles was raising up her hammer to strike when the second skeleton nails her hard, causing her to fall back and her swing to miss completely. This isn't going well, not well at all. She swallows and rubs the side of her lip to get rid of the blood. "Oh...I'm gonna go out big..."
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 7.
It is now Skeleton2's turn! Zeke is next!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (6)+7: 13
Left Skeleton didn't let Zeke's antics go unnotices, and he takes a swipe. But, Zeke's motions are so unpredctable that he just misses.
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 4.
It is now Zeke's turn! Skeleton1 is next!
GAME: Zeke rolls 3d6: (8): 8
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 24.
It is now Skeleton1's turn! Skribbles is next!
Zeke takes a step back from the swinging skeleton and once more offers words to the Dragonfather, a short prayer as he lifts a claw to point at Skribbles the pulse of healing energy is weaker than the first, but dodging around the swing of the skeleton makes it harder to concentrate on the task at hand. They are not fairing particularly well against the surprisingly strong skeletons. "Perhapsss we ssshould withdraw and regroup... they are quite persssisstant."
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (15)+7: 22
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d8+3: (3)+3: 6
Right Skeleton wastes no time trying to ttake that damage right back, slashing at Skribbles cruelly.
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 20.
It is now Skribbles' turn! Skeleton2 is next!
GAME: Skribbles rolls weapon1: (19)+4: 23
GAME: Skribbles rolls 1d6: (5): 5
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 7.
It is now Skeleton2's turn! Zeke is next!
Skribbles rawrs as only a tiny Goblin can, leaping up from the stair and swinging her hammer directly at the head of a skeleton, putting it into a wall with a satisfying crunch. That doesn't stop the undead creature though, like the terminator it merely comes off the wall and looks at Skribbles with it's otherworldly grin. Skribbles blinks and says, "We're gonna need a bigger hammer..."
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (13)+7: 20
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d8+3: (5)+3: 8
Right Skeleton is hit, but gives as good as he gets, looking at her with glowing, expressionless eye sockets.
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 4.
It is now Zeke's turn! Skeleton1 is next!
GAME: Zeke rolls 3d6: (9): 9
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 24.
It is now Skeleton1's turn! Skribbles is next!
"If you will, pleassse withdraw. You are badly hurt." Indeed Skribbles is bleeding from several wounds now, and Zeke can only watch with growing concern as the skeletons continue to attack her. He steps further away from them himself, knowing that he can not weather such himself. Instead he contiues to hold out the claw holding his staff toward her, praying that she will continue to stand as much as he prays for her to be healed.
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d8+3: (1)+3: 4
Left Skeleton takes a step toward Zeke! Getting behind Skribbles, he swings at the healer and gets one good little cut in!
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 20.
It is now Skribbles' turn! Skeleton2 is next!
Ignore previous. Right Skeleton swings again, getting a good little cut into Skribbles again
GAME: Skribbles rolls weapon1: (19)+4: 23
GAME: Skribbles rolls 1D6: (6): 6
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 7.
It is now Skeleton2's turn! Zeke is next!
Skribbles is taking a step back now, nodding her head to Zeke and actually taking good advice for once...these people of Alexandria are rubbing off on her in the worst sort of way. Next thing you know she'll stop drinking heavily and blowing stuff up! The skeleton comes at her once again, a nice slice on her arm, but this gives her another chance to bash it with her hammer, and she does, a satisfying crunching sound to be heard echoing in the tomb.
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (10)+7: 17
NOW left skeleton tries to go for Zeke, is blocked off by Skribbles, and so ineffectively swings at Skribbles.
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 4.
It is now Zeke's turn! Skeleton1 is next!
GAME: Zeke casts Magic Circle Against Evil. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
There's a moment in some battles where a warrior is forced to do things... things that they do not want to do. Things that take everything out of them. Zeke has such a moment in this battle. The skeletons are /killing/ Skribbles. Slowly, before his eyes. He can't keep healing her at the rate that they're harming her. So, he has a choice to make. "Thisss one... thisss one asssksss if thisss one might touch you." His words are even more thickly accented than they usually are, and he waits for her verbal permission before laying his right claw on her shoulder. Just... very briefly. Almost not-there. He hurries his hand away again as his magic imbues Skribbles with something that should keep her safe from the undead attacking them. It's the best he can do for the moment, and he steps back, drawing far and further away from the site.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 24.
It is now Skeleton1's turn! Skribbles is next!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (10)+7: 17
Right skeleton tries to flank Skribbles, but thanks to Zeke's prayer, it's not enough to hit her.
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 20.
It is now Skribbles' turn! Skeleton2 is next!
GAME: Skribbles rolls weapon1: (5)+4: 9
Skribbles continues moving backwards, but slips a bit on a step, causing her to fall and miscalculate her swing and miss. "I'm moving back...moving back..."
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 7.
It is now Skeleton2's turn! Zeke is next!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (13)+7: 20
Left skeleton swings. Skribbles, no longer flanked, loses the tip of a few hairs, but that's about it. That close.
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 4.
It is now Zeke's turn! Skeleton1 is next!
GAME: Zeke rolls 3d6: (12): 12
Zeke stops moving backwards, not wanting to leave his ally behind, but he is not done with the skeletons. He points his staff at them and intones his prayer with his green eyes narrowed at them. It's a look of determination and hositility. Usually he is not inclined toward the more negitive emotions, but Skribbles is heavily injured, and the undead are lacking in any redeeming qualities. That which is dead should stay dead. The right skeleton falls to the ground, never to rise again and Zeke bares his teeth slightly. "You are almosssst to sssafety."
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Seven - Init 24.
It is now Skeleton1's turn! Skribbles is next!
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Seven - Init 20.
It is now Skribbles' turn! Skeleton2 is next!
GAME: Skribbles rolls weapon1: (15)+4: 19
GAME: Skribbles rolls 1d6: (1): 1
Skribbles calls out, "Get ready to slam that door!" She takes one final swing at the skeleton, more to drive it back than anything..barely knicking one of its ribs as she moves out of the door and out of the way.
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Seven - Init 7.
It is now Skeleton2's turn! Zeke is next!
GAME: Erendriel rolls 1d20+7: (3)+7: 10
The remaining skeleton moves into the doorway now vacated by Skribbles, and swings at her, just following her out step for step. But cannot hit her.
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Seven - Init 4.
It is now Zeke's turn! Skeleton1 is next!
GAME: Zeke rolls cmb: (8)+6: 14
The blue-scaled sith realizes abruptly that there is indeed one flaw to his plan. The skeleton is too close on Skribble's tail to close the door behind her. Thinking quickly on his feet, he shoves his staff at the thing, hoping to push it back. The attempt fails as he simply isn't agile enough to manage the manuver. Balanced on one claw he flicks his tail. "I can not! Keep moving back!" He himself does not though, he has not been harmed by the skeletons, and hopes still to force the one remaining backwards.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Eight - Init 24.
It is now Skeleton1's turn! Skribbles is next!
GAME: Erendriel advances the initiative order.
Round Eight - Init 20.
It is now Skribbles' turn! Skeleton2 is next!
GAME: Skribbles rolls 3d6: (9): 9
Skribbles raises her head, her eyes turning red with the fires of Reos' forge. The faint sounds of a hammer striking an anvil can be heard as Skribbles utters the God's name under her breath and points her warhammer at the remaining skeleton. Sparks from the Great Forge fly out and engulf the skeleton in flame, the fanged snarl on Skribbles' lips growling, "ENOUGH!"
GAME: Erendriel removes the timestop.
Timestop by Erendriel has left.
The skeletons dropped, the stairway down below, in the pitch dark tomb, is now visibly clear of obstacles.
Zeke lets out a breath of relief as the final skeleton falls, flames burning it down to the ground. "Thisss one did not know that you were alssso a ssshaman." The sith looks over her injuries with a worried expression. "Perhapsss it would be wissse to asssk your patron to heal you before we go further? Thisss one isss not asss sstrong in the wayssss of healing asss ssssome, and lackssss much more in the way of it to offer."
Skribbles stands up, looking down at the remnants of her robe which hid her scale mail, she sets her warhammer down for a moment and looks at Zeke, nodding her head. I think you're right, but I don't think Reos will grant me his boon too many more times before he puts his foot down. She swallows a bit and looks at the door to the tomb, "What do you think? Go in further? See what else is there? That might have been it."
GAME: Skribbles casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15
GAME: Skribbles rolls 1d8+4: (4)+4: 8
"Thisss one doesss not think it wissse to move on before you are healed. There may not be more, or there may be. Thisss one... we were not warned of sssuch guarding thisss place. It may be a trap of sssome kind." Zeke looks troubled as he speaks, standing carefully before the threshold of the tomb. He does not step inside. "If need be, we can return to the scity and recieve aid and then return. Thisss one doesss not wisssh to ssee harm befall you."
Skribbles takes a deep breath and takes off her gloves. She puts her hands on a particularly nice slash and it glows red, the smell of a forge fire rising through the air as she heals herself. "I think that's the smarter idea. Honestly, if there are more skeletons down there...or worse...it might be best to bring someone who can swing a sword or something. My little warhammer ain't cuttin' it and I don't wish to see harm come to me either...I'm too cute." She looks at Zeke and shrugs, "Or you either...yeah..."
Zeke looks at the doorway consideringly. "Come then, let usss return. Perhapsss we ssshould even talk to the one that hired ussss and find out why sssuch wasss waiting for usss." He nods at last and turns away from the tomb. "Thisss one thinksss alssso that the Vardamen would be interesssted in learning about a plasce that holdsss sssuch evil."
The pair returns to town, and heals up. The Bard is shocked. "Skeletons! In there? It couldn't be.. she wasn't a necromancer. Just coincidence. You should return."
Skribbles looks at the Bard and says, "Are you serious, it's a coincidence? Undead don't become the Undead simply because they want to. Something makes them Undead." She folds her arms across her chest and says, "Are you on the up and up, because this perfect green skin has a scar on it. A scar!"
Zeke too is suspcious at this point. "Ssshe wasss not a necromancer you sssay." He humphs and looks at Skribbles, then back. "They were there for sssome reassson. Are /you/ a necromancer?" A dangerous accusation, but one that is at this point possibly necessary.
The bard shakes his head. "I'll cover any healing expenses, don't you worry about that. The lyre is worth that. No, I suspect those skeletons were taking refuge in the dark tomb, maybe left by a passing necromancers who was killed by adventurers such as yourselves. At least look in the tomb itself?"
Skribbles looks at Zeke for a moment and then turns back to the Bard. "What do you think, Zeke? Give it another go?"
"Now that you are well, perhapsss we can hazard it onsce more." He nods and gives into the thought with a soft sigh. "Very well bard, you have an accord."
The Bard having agreed to arrange for the full healing, the pair is able to make their way back later. The tomb is exactly as it was left. Door open, swords and piles of bones still right where they were when the pair departed.
Skribbles takes out her Warhammer once again and nods, "Alright, let's see what's up." She walks back into the tomb, and now that there are no surprises this time around, she looks for a torch or other object she can light.
As there is very little light to be found inside, Zeke pulls out a torch and sets it alight. He after all can not see in the dark, and is loathe to trip over something unseen inside the tomb. He follows at a polite distance from Skribbles, and moves his staff to be held by his other hand. One that he keeps deep within his robe as best he can. Even so now and then the glimmer of crystal flickers over his hand in the torchlight.
Down the stairs in the tomb is a coffin on a pedestal. It is closed, in the cold darkness down in here, the stone the same as the stones above, the wood of the coffin preserved magically, just as the door above.
Skribbles looks at Zeke again and points, "There it is. Is the thing supposed to be in there?" She looks around the room again, walking around it to see if there is something that she missed.
"Thisss one doesss not think sssso. It isss all thisss one can sssee." Zeke moves cautiously forward, eventually knocking his staff against the coffin. It makes a noise into the darkness of the tomb and then with the claw holding the torch he carefully removes the lid of the coffin; prepaired to attack the corpse inside if there is one - and it moves.
Inside the coffin is... a pillowed bottom, on top ifit a preserved body of the dead archmage. In her hands is a note, which reads "This is the world's smallest Lyre, playing just for you, Bard. -- Saraliel"