CH. 02 - A Grave Situation

[Daos]

The air reeks of musty death as she opens the door to this room. Inside she can make out the dark shapes of stone tombs. Several chests and coffers, remnants of ruined banners and tapestries, and corroded weapons and armor are scattered throughout the room.

Inside the room, she sees four pale and haggard-looking adventurers. One seems to be a dwarven fighter, one a human priest, one a half-elven mage, and one a human minstrel.  They glance up at her with dull expressions as she enters. They look like they've been in a fight.

"Wait, I know these people.  These are Giles and his fellow adventurers," Terence remarks, surprised to see the four.

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: No - Active Effect(s): None

"Huh, didn't you say they left for Arden?" - suspicious, she looks at the four men in front of her, holding her shield high. - "Who are you and what are you doing here?" - she asks them, while still remaining at the entrance of the door.

Edit: you know what, that's too fishy and I'm readying an action. If they do anything hostile Giunona'll cast Spike Growth on the area surrounding them.

[Daos]

"That is what I had heard," Terence answers.  "But clearly not, for they stand before us now."

The priest holds out a hand and says raspily, "Help...water..."

"How long have these poor souls been down here?" Nicholas wonders.  "They look like they've been through the ringer, the poor things.  I do have one healing spell left, but there are four of them.  Oh, dear, oh, dear, who needs it the most?"

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: No - Active Effect(s): None

"Hold on a second, Nicholas. If they need help I have plenty of spells left for each of them, but first we need to make sure they're really in danger. After all we saw earlier where prisoner here were detained. Why would they keep them here in an open room, while an harmless man like Marcel was in a cage?"

"Here, drink." - she says as she throw her waterskin at the group. - "Why are you down here and where is the rod of Trueheart?"

[Daos]

Nicholas looks aghast at Giunona's cynicism and reluctance to help others, but says nothing; he merely shakes his head in disappointment.

As for the four adventurers, they do not answer or go for the water.  Instead, one of them--the priest--holds up a metal rod, about two feet long, outward toward Giunona, as if offering it to her.

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: No - Active Effect(s): None

Giunona appears sad when noticing Nicholas' glance of disappointment, she closes her eyes for a few moments.

Many years ago I was just like him: young, full of trust, ready to throw myself away to help anyone that came my way.

She reopens them, the people in front of her transfixed by her eyes. The eyes that had seen it all, or well, most of it really.
Shape-shifters, body-snatchers, or just plain old illusion tricks. What would it be this time?

"Then I learned that you can be of much more help if you care about your own safety as well, especially when the life of many others depends on it."

Her mind flashes for a second, an image of her dear druid friend, Dianyde. The dwarf chuckles. That old blind halfling had the most developed sense of smell when it came to lies and trickeries. Oh, how many time she saved Giunona's ass from the trouble she threw herself into.

"You know, you could have at least pretended to actually be thirsty and take the water. Oh well, since you seem to be fine now we'll go check the rest of the temple." - and as she says so, she starts to close the door. *

OOC Actions

She has always that spell prepared as an action.

[Daos]

Giunona closes the door, leaving the four adventurers and the Rod of Astara inside.

"Well, now what?" asks Thuskar.

"Are we really just leaving those poor saps in there?" Ulster asks.

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: No - Active Effect(s): None

Giunona looks around at the people surrounding her, raising her eyebrow in an inquisitive stance: "Am I the only one who sees the absurdity in this situation?"

"Let's start with what we know: Giles and his band came her, took the rod of Trueheart and then left for Arden. Now, for whatever reason, they are randomly still here in an unguarded open room, while whoever is in charge of this place wanted to be extremely sure that poor Marcel was locked in a cage guarded by two undead ogres. Now, those 'poor saps' are there, no emotions on their faces, not even at the sight of a possible savior or attacker, asking for water that they then proceed to ignore it once it's offered to them. If any of you can make sense of this situation, very well, I am here to discuss it. But otherwise, entering that room sounds like a death sentence to me, and you will have to pass over my dead body if...."

Giunona stops in her words. 
Dead body...?

"Wait a second... What if it's a case of possession?" - she says to herself, then turns to Miles. - "Remember what we saw last night at the graveyard? That green light was inhabiting one of the bodies. Maybe that's what happened here to Giles' group, they were killed and taken control of."

[Daos]

"Perhaps," Captain Miles says.  "But either way, do we not need that rod to put an end to this crisis?"

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: No - Active Effect(s): None

"Oh, we do. The fact is that until now I thought it was a part of an illusion, but if those are really Giles and his men that could actually be the rod we're searching for. Well if they're possessed there is something I could try, let's go."

Giunona opens the door once more, raises her holy symbol and shouts in dwarvish: "Reveal your true selves, in the name of Marthammor Duin!"

OOC Actions

I use Turn Undead.

[Daos]

There is a flash of light, and the illusion melts away to reveal four skeletal corpses, each wearing black robes.  The one furthest in the back cowers in fear at the divine might, but the other three are unaffected and move to attack.

=============

Undead 01 saves vs. WIS [DC 13] (1d20+1):  19+1 = 20, pass.  It is not turned.
ZBEUXgcH1d20+1
Undead 02 saves vs. WIS [DC 13] (1d20+1): 16+1 = 17, pass. It is not turned.
1d20+1
Undead 03 saves vs. WIS [DC 13] (1d20+1): 18+1 = 19, pass. It is not turned.
1d20+1
Undead 04 saves vs. WIS [DC 13] (1d20+1): 7+1 = 8, fail.  It is turned.
1d20+1



(OOC: Initiative and actions for Round 01?)

Initiative
Captain Miles
1d20-1
Terence
1d20+1
Friar Nicholas
1d20
Ulster
1d20+1
Thuskar
1d20+1
Undead 01
1d20+3
Undead 02
1d20+3
Undead 03
1d20+3
Undead 04
1d20+3
1d20+1·1d20+1·1d20+1·1d20+1·1d20-1·1d20+1·1d20·1d20+1·1d20+1·1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+3

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 0/1 - Inspiration: No - Active Effect(s): Spiritual Weapon (10 rounds)

"What kind of monstrosities are they? Good Gods, stay back, abominations!" 

As she shouts this, her eyes starts glowing while a translucent morning star appears in the air before descending on one of the undead's head.
She herself moves to make space for the others, as she swings her staff at the same undead as before.

OOC Actions

Casting Spiritual Weapon which then attack the closest undead: g5N5WLD|1d20+5

S.W. Dmg: 1d8+3

Normal Attack with Quarterstaff: 1d20+2

Q.A. Dmg: 1d8

1d20+5·1d8+3·1d20+2·1d8

[Daos]

The undead seem content to wait for the party to come to them.  Giunona moves forward, summoning a spiritual weapon to strike at the lead corpse, just as she strikes with her staff.  Both hit, but the staff barely does any damage at all.  Terence moves in next, drawing his axes.  The larger misses, but the second hits the same corpse.  Miles moves in as well, cutting deeply with his great sword on the same corpse.

However, Ulster, Thuskar and Nicholas all try to shove through the hallway at once, and get almost humorously stuck.  They manage to untangle themselves after a bit of wriggling.

============

Initiative
Undead 02:  23
Thuskar:  21
Undead 03:  19
Undead 04:  19
Giunona:  18
Terence:  16
Friar Nicholas:  15
Undead 01:  6
Ulster:  5
Captain Miles:  1

Round 01!

Undead 02 dodges.
Thuskar doesn't have the movement to reach the room.
Undead 03 dodges.
Undead 04 is turned, so dodges.
Giunona casts Spiritual Weapon as a bonus action.  The spiritual weapon attacks Undead 01 [AC 14] (1d20+5):  19+5 = 24, hit for (1d8+3):  4+3 = 7 force damage.  She moves 5 feet west and 5 feet south.  She then swings her staff at Undead 01 [AC 14] (1d20+2):  16+2 = 18, hit for (1d8):  3 bludgeoning damage, halved to 1 damage.
Terence moves 5 feet north (difficult terrain), jumps 5 feet over the pit, moves 10 feet west and 5 feet north.  He slashes his battle axe at Undead 01 [AC 14] (1d20+6):  5+6 = 11, miss.  As a bonus action, he slashes his hand axe at Undead 01 [AC 14] (1d20+7):  14+7 = 21, hit for (1d6+5):  3+5 = 8 slashing damage.
EG_WW7wo1d201d201d6
Friar Nicholas doesn't have the movement to reach the room.
Undead 01 slashes its right claw at Giunona [AC 18] (1d20+5):  11+5 = 16, miss.  It slashes its left claw at Terence [AC 14] (1d20+5):  16+5 = 21, hit for (2d6+3): 6+3 = 9 slashing damage.  Terence makes a CON saving throw [DC 12] (1d20+2):  12+2 = 14, pass.
1d201d201d61d61d20
Ulster doesn't have the movement to reach the room.
Captain Miles leaps 5 feet over the pit and moves 10 feet west.  He then slashes his great sword at Undead 01 [AC 14] (1d20+6):  12+6 = 18, hit for (2d6+4):  4+4 = 8 slashing damage.
1d201d61d6



(OOC:  Actions for Round 02?)
1d20·1d20·1d6·1d20·1d20·1d6·1d6·1d20·1d20·1d6·1d6

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 0/1 - Inspiration: No - Active Effect(s): Spiritual Weapon (9 rounds), Shillelagh (10 rounds)

Giunona launches another attack at the undead in front of her, as her staff starts glowing.

OOC Actions

Shillelagh as a Bonus Action

Atk: SH5KBBpF1d20+5

Dmg: 1d8+3

1d20+5·1d8+3

[Daos]

Another of the undead rushes up to Giunona and rakes at her with both of its claws; only one claw hits, and when it does, the scratch has a strange burning sensation to it, as if the claws were on fire somehow.  A third corpse goes for Terence, and again, one claw hits and the other does not.

Giunona focuses her energies on the first corpse, enchanting her staff and swinging at the creature, only to miss.  Terence retaliates against his new opponent, slashing it with both axes.  The first corpse focuses on Miles now, raking at him with both claws, but being rebuffed both times.  Miles retaliates with a slash of his blade.

Thuskar, Friar Nicholas and Ulster all rush through the hall, but can't get very far from the blockage of their allies and enemies; they are effectively bottle-necked in.

============

Initiative
Undead 02: 23
Thuskar: 21
Undead 03: 19
Undead 04: 19
Giunona: 18
Terence: 16
Friar Nicholas: 15
Undead 01: 6
Ulster: 5
Captain Miles: 1

Round 02!

Undead 02 moves 5 feet east.  It then rakes its right claw at Giunona [AC 18] (1d20+5):  19+5 = 24, hit for (2d6+3):  6+3 = 9 slashing damage.  Giunona makes a CON save with advantage (dwarven resilience) [DC 12] (1d20+4):  6+4 = 10, fail.  It then rakes its left claw at Giunona [AC 18] (1d20+5):  12+5 = 17, miss.
9T4Tiujt1d201d61d61d201d201d20
Thuskar moves 15 feet north passing through Nicholas (difficult terrain), leaps 5 feet over the pit, and moves 5 feet west.
Undead 03 moves 5 feet east.  It rakes its left claw at Terence [AC 14] (1d20+5):  12+5 = 17, hit for (2d6+3):  8+3 = 11 slashing damage.  Terence makes a CON save [DC 12] (1d20+2):  18+2 = 20, pass.  It then rakes its right claw at Terence [AC 14] (1d20+5):  7+5 = 12, miss.
1d201d61d61d201d20
Undead 04 is turned, so dodges.
Giunona casts Shillelagh as a bonus action.  She then swings her shillelagh at Undead 01 [AC 14] (1d20+5):  8+5 = 13, miss.
Terence slashes his battle axe at Undead 03 [AC 14] (1d20+6): 15+6 = 21, hit for (1d8+4):  5+4 = 9 slashing damage, halved to 4. As a bonus action, he slashes his hand axe at Undead 03 [AC 14] (1d20+7): 18+7 = 25, hit for (1d6+5): 6+5 = 11 slashing damage.
1d201d81d201d6
Friar Nicholas moves 10 feet north.
Undead 01 rakes its right claw at Captain Miles [AC 18] (1d20+5): 3+5 = 8, miss. It rakes its left claw at Captain Miles [AC 18] (1d20+5): 9+5 = 14, miss.
1d201d20
Ulster moves 5 feet west and 5 feet north.
Captain Miles slashes his great sword at Undead 01 [AC 14] (1d20+6): 16+6 = 22, hit for (2d6+4): 6+4 = 10 slashing damage.
1d201d61d6



(OOC: Actions for Round 03?)
1d20·1d6·1d6·1d20·1d20·1d20·1d20·1d6·1d6·1d20·1d20·1d20·1d8·1d20·1d6·1d20·1d20·1d20·1d6·1d6