PrP: Clearing the Mausoleum

DM: Elisabeth
Players: Duthei, Krom, Miles, Zant

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The adventurer’s guild sends the party to the temple of Daeus, where you are met by one of the priests. It is explained that the ‘adventuresome’ members of their flock are busy with other matters, thus the Adventurers’ Guild was contacted to seek volunteers for the mission.

Two days ago, a messenger arrived from a hamlet three days’ ride to the northwest. The hamlet was founded alongside a river, and an Uraeus who had always guarded that section of the river took the fledgling community under its wings, figuratively. The Uraeus sent the message with one of the townsfolk, and the message indicated that it had a vision of undead being created in a mausoleum in the hamlet’s graveyard. The message indicated that the Uraeus’ vision made it clear that the undead weren’t an immediate threat, as they were somewhat contained underground... but that they would, eventually, find their way out of the mausoleum and threaten the townsfolk over which the Uraeus watches. It asked the Daeusites to send a small group to clear the undead from the graveyard before they find their way out actually pose a threat.

The church will pay for reasonable travel expenses and lodging, as well as the Guild’s standard mission fee, in exchange for any and all items found within the mausoleum and brought out by the adventurers; they wish to sort through anything that is found there and ensure it is returned to the family/families whose burial area(s) was/were disturbed.

(OOC: This is a non-Death Consent PrP, which means no items for loot, just some coin at the end.)

Krom listens carefully, accepting the word of a Visionary with casual disinterest. Such things are somewhat more common in the Mestnorr. Gathering his things, the northman journey's with interest, having yet to explore this particular bit of the local countryside.

Well. Zant is associated with the temple, at least, which is what probably makes it absolutely unsurprising that he's accompanying the party in the first place, despite... the painfully obvious fact that he, unlike probably everyone else, is *not* dressed for combat. Or even carrying weapons of any sort, for that matter.

Still, even with that in mind, he seems to be in an awfully cheerful mood. Yes, even about the whole prospect of undead and such. The fact that he carries so little does mean that he sort of ends up just helping everyone else carry things to the carriage while there's preparation -- a time which he takes to ask, all involved, "... I don't suppose any of you know Turning magic, do you?"

Duthei is, for their part, quite cheerful about riding through the countryside. "I have the magic of cutting them to pieces," Duthei says pleasantly.

Easy in the saddle, the blonde tower will hum tunelessly almost the entire way up, occasionally making seemingly inane observations about things as they go. Very strange creature. Pretty, but very strange.

Often as not, the guild provides wagon transport when a mission takes you out of Alexandria proper. Miles is taking full advantage of this, largely because it means the artificer doesn't have to try and ride a horse himself, and also because it means he can catch up on his sleep on the way to go punch some skeletons, having pulled a few all-nighters recently in order to upgrade the incredibly oversized gauntlets of his armor. The question asked, he grunts and cracks open an eye. "I punch things really hard, and they go back to being quiet. Bout all the turning most things need."

On arrival at the cemetery, the Alexandrian adventurers see that it’s not just the cemetery for a small hamlet. This cemetery, probably because of the nearby presence of the Uraeus, has become the burial ground for several smaller houses of nobility in the greater region of Alexandros. The cemetery is a large affair, taking up almost as much land as the hamlet itself, but on the opposite side of the river from the community.

As a whole, the cemetery is unwalled, and is maintained by the townsfolk. However, there is a small section, almost like the inner bailey of a castle, that is surrounded by a six-foot stone wall that has an open archway large enough for a wagon to pass through, allowing access to what is within. Inside the wall of the inner cemetery are several family crypts and two large mausoleums.

The stonework door of the mausoleum to the north side of the inner cemetery is ajar, the locking mechanism obviously broken open from the outside.

"Oh!" Duthei, who was riding atop the wagon for the moment, leans over to look at you all, upside down. "It appears our lonely dead have a visitor. What do you think? Cults? Demons?"

Krom eyes the setup with mild curiousity, but keeps mostly quiet. no erason to pester anyone with questions. "Krom think path onward is obvious, and thus Krom question it. Krom think best check unbroken door quick, just to be sure."

Duthei leaps off the top of the wagon, taking their billhook with them. Their armor jingles like tiny silver bells as they land. "Let's go kill them."

Miles frowns. "Could be kids from the village trying to prove they've got the moxie to do our job and no need to hire outsiders, before we jump to the immediate conclusion of murdering anyone living we find." Still, he hops down from the wagon as well. "Let's make sure we don't get cornered by anyone coming in from the other mausoleums and then head down, though."

"I doubt there's much need for necromancers to go through to the rest of the exterior," declares Zant, who-- has at some point swung himself up onto the roof of the carriage, into a crouched posture upon it. And from up there, he eyes after Duthei, with a slow blink. "...Man, why do I always get stuck with the kind that's a little too eager to cut things up?"

Either way. When Zant declares "I'll check ahead," and bounces off of the carriage, he doesn't aim to go directly for the cemetery door right away. Rather, he's running for one of the walls near it. Apparently someone's in a parkour mood.

>>> DM to Krom: as you're eyeing it, you'd easily see that the door to the still-sealed mausoleum is properly barred and chained from the outside, and even still has a good lock on it. it doesn't appear to have been broken into at all.

>>> DM to Zant: from atop the carriage, you got a good look around the cemetary. nothing looks disturbed. as you go into the inner area, the same is true... except for that one mausoleum with the door that's obviously been broken into.

The grounds of the cemetary look clean, peaceful, well-kept... it looks, inside and outside the wall about the inner grounds, undisturbed -- save for that one broken-open door on the north mausoleum.

Krom takes a few moments to eye the 'sealed' mausoleum. Apparently content with it's security, he nods, heading for the broken door as well. "Krom agree, not all inside may be bad. Caution and confirmation." Fishing around in his pockets a moment, the northman pulls out some sort of crystal, wrapped in leather. Holding it up, the translucent material catches the light, the facets glowing softly. Hooking the item to his belt, the gem continues to glow, offering a bit of light for the likely gloomy interior.

For their part, Duthei slows as they reach near the door, peering at the mausoleum as they go. Tall as Duthei is, they seem able to fold themselves almost in half as they crouch down, like their spine was made of rope instead of jointed bones. When they reach the doorway, they peer in, the billhook ready in their hands.

"Doesn't look like any of them have got out, at least, even with the door hanging open. Might have happened just recently, had I to guess." Miles pounds one fist into the other, with a clong. "Possibly they're waiting for night, or are under orders of some kind? In any case, we should get to to work soon."

Zant was, perhaps, going to spend a few moments longer to the effort of scouting from atop the wall.

But he finds out pretty quickly that people are moving along before he can do anything of the sort, anyway. But-- that's fine. He jumps down from the top of the wall, then, and goes weaving in a lowered posture along the graves. Following mostly after everyone, but... Keeping a little distance, perhaps. And trying to keep more to the dark for the time being.

Sometimes it's a good thing for rear guard to not be obvious.

The mausoleum door opens to a decorative antechamber that is revealed by both Krom’s light and sunlight that spills in through the doorway. In the center of the antechamber is a spiral staircase that leads downwards into darkness. This antechamber has nothing in the way of burial chambers in it; it is merely an entryway into the rest of the mausoleum, which is apparently underground.

>>> Duthei to DM: Duthei would like to look for tracks. Might not be able to follow them closely, but I'd like to see if there are prints leadng in, etc.

Krom peers at the setup a moment, and heads towards the stairway down. No real surprise here. "Krom is content to go first, but think maybe best in middle, light for all. Best if others have light as well, unless can see in darkness?"

>>> DM to Duthei: roll perception, Duthei. if you have the Track feat, you'd be better off using a Survival skill check.

GAME: Duthei rolls perception: (14)+7: 21

DM to Duthei: It looks like footfalls of some sort disturbed the dust inside the place, in a path that connects the stairwell and the door... and before the party made any such tracks. you have no sense of 'direction' of the tracks, whether they go to the door from the stairs, or vice-versa.

"Someone's been here," Duthei says, still folded down near the ground. "Down the stairwell." They straighten, frowning faintly, and steps back to take a small lantern from their belt and spark it with a built-in igniter. Goblin ingenuity. "I'll take up the center of the formation. I have quite a bit of reach."

"Well. They certainly bury them deep here. I was expecting a big open room and some coffins, not a staircase." Miles nods to Krom, and produces a stick from his belt, the head shoved in a leather sack and belted closed. The reason for this is made clear, since it ignites almost instantly when he takes the sacking off and it immediately bursts into (fortunately harmless) flame. "I work best close in, for obvious reasons, though I can always fall back on my deathray should it be necessary."

Zant more or less tries to keep up with the group from the back without... actually being too much in the light. Which is significantly difficult task to accomplish when being outside of the light in this particulra occasion can very easily mean not seeing what you are actually stepping on.

It's a very precarious balance that sneaky types without the capacity for Darkvision have to strive for in situations like this.

At the bottom of the stairs, a good thirty feet or more down, is a wide hallway that leads forward into the darkness. About ten paces ahead on the left, revealed by the light sources brought by the party, there is an open doorway to a burial chamber.

"Oooh," Duthei whispers cheerfully. "Corpses. Shall we go?"

Krom shrugs, and heads for the open doorway. Cautiously, as there's a good chance there's some nasty undead thing wating to attack him on the other side.

Duthei shoulders the billhook, ready to reach in past krom and shear a limb off whatever horror might be waiting beyond. It's their thing to do.

Miles stays silent, but draws something from his waste that look like a crossbow that had unfortunate things done to it by lonely war golem, preparing for cover fire, if need be.

It takes a few seconds for Zant to evaluate the current situation. WHich... well, there's not that much of a situation to evaluate, tell the truth. He peers back to the darkness from his spot just behind everyone else, and... since all he can see is darkness, he realizes the folly of his own rear guard plan. And then he peers forward again, and the pile of people by the door that probably isn't wide enough for everyone to go through at once.

'This could probably end up being really bad', his inner voice declares, as such.

But either way, he pads his way forward, thus, up to the light proper, and closer for the door. At least he won't hopefully be left behind by too much when everyone charges through the door.

As the party comes to the double-door-wide, but doorless, entrance to the chamber, all can see movement within. Skeletal remains, revealed by your lights as standing in the chamber as opposed to laying at rest on the burial shelves that line the walls, turn to face you. At least one of these, standing in at the far end of the room, is wearing armor of some sort and draws a sword as it turns to face you, while all the others simply raise their hands and lurch forward!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  ATTENTION  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

	Elisabeth has dropped a TIMESTOP!

	Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Elisabeth to instruct you further.

	For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

GAME: Zant rolls initiative: 19 + 2 = 21
GAME: You roll initiative for unarmed skeletons: Roll: 7 + Bonus: 6 = Total: 13
GAME: You roll initiative for armed skeleton: Roll: 17 + Bonus: 5 = Total: 22
GAME: Duthei rolls initiative: 18 + 2 = 20
GAME: Miles rolls initiative: 17 + 2 = 19
GAME: Krom rolls initiative: 9 + 5 = 14

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 22.
     It is now armed skeleton's turn! Zant is next!

>>> DM: The armed skeleton charges at the one nearest... which, I think, was Krom?"

<OOC> Duthei should get an attack of opportunity then. <OOC> Duthei has Reach.

>>> DM to Duthei:take that AoO, Duth!

GAME: Duthei rolls 1d20+8: (19)+8: 27

>>> DM to Duthei: that's a hit. not a threat though, right?

<OOC> Duthei says, "Right. Billhook threatens only on 20."

>>> DM to Duthei: roll that damage :)

GAME: Duthei rolls 1d8+3: (5)+3: 8

>>> DM to Duthei: it survives the attack and completes its charge.

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+9: (4)+9: 13

>>> DM: which misses Krom pretty badly.

The skeleton that drew a sword, which is also wearing what looks to be a fancy breastplate, rushes forward, bringing up its blade to strike! Duthei's long weapon strikes, and forces it off balance, so that the point of the blade misses Krom cleanly.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 21.
     It is now Zant's turn! Duthei is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Zant ended.

<OOC> Zant says, "Everyon went through the door, right? Or am I stuck for now?

>>>DM to Zant: the fight's happening at the door, so far. you could get in an attack the skeleton from one side, though."

<OOC> Zant moves over and punches the skeletal in it's ugly skeletal face.

GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (4)+6+1: 11

>>> DM to Zant: miss.

Oh geez. Zant was probably really hoping he wouldn't have to do very complicated weaving through everyone else.

He doesn't complain about that, though. not audibly, anyway. In a lowered posture, he pads, strafes and bounces his way around and through everyone, until he finds himself right besides the skeleton.

"You're supposed to be dead!" He declares, when his fist gets launched forward, at the skeleton... ...'s sword.

Zant realizes this impending, horrible mistake just a fraction of a second early enough to stop his fist before it goes through the damned blade, and promptly leans both his arm and the rest of himself back, color fading away from his face when he realizes he just nearly took off his own hand.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 20.
     It is now Duthei's turn! Miles is next!

<OOC> Duthei tries to peel off the top of the armed skeleton's head.

<OOC> Duthei says, "But first, I will RAAAAAGE"

GAME: Duthei RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 8 temporary HP

>>> DM to Duthei: RAWR! roll that attack!

GAME: Duthei rolls 1d20+10: (16)+10: 26

>>> DM to Duthei: hit!

GAME: Duthei rolls 1d8+5: (1)+5: 6

>>> DM to Duthei: You'd shatter the skull for sure, but it brings up its sword and -just barely- keeps you from killing it outright!

As the skeleton comes charging Krom, Duthei reaches past him with a mighty thrust of their polearm, piercing mail and bone. A few seconds later and the next stroke nearly severs the skeleton's arm as it brings its sword up to protect its skull. Arm - and skull - intact, the skeleton is /not/ in good condition.

Which is good, because Duthei's skin is turning transparent, flooding with green-blue mist like the heart of space, and spangling with tiny points of light like distant stars. Their eyes turn black, as does their hair, which also flattens and thickens into almost tendril-like fronds. Beautiful, still, but monstrous. And the noise that emits from their mouth is akin to that of cats being tortured alive piped through a reverb filter.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 19.
     It is now Miles' turn! Krom is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Miles ended.

<OOC> Miles says, "I will death ray some of the ones further back, before that poor doorway gets too crowded.

>>> DM to Miles: there are five of them, and they all look roughly the same. is that an Area Attack?

<OOC> Miles says, "Nope! So just one of them. Ranged touch."

>>> DM to Miles: roll it! :)

GAME: Miles rolls 1d20+5: (18)+5: 23

>>> DM to Miles: that's a hit.

GAME: Miles rolls 2d6+4: (7)+4: 11

>>> DM to Miles: the one you blast shatters apart! (dead)

The horrible crossbow with glowy crystal and weird metal bits that Miles holds doesn't actually fire any bolts. Well, not bolts you'd load like a normal crossbow, anyway. It apparently fires bolts of lightning instead. There's a CRACK and a smell of burnt bone and one of the still advancing skeletons in the back isn't so much advancing as falling to pieces with a sooty black circle in place of what used to be its sternum.

GAME: Miles spends ONE use of DEATH RAY.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 14.
     It is now Krom's turn! unarmed skeletons is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Krom ended.

<OOC> Krom says, "Full attack the bonehead in my face. Cold iron weapons, if it happens to matter."

>>> DM: Miles has killed one of the skels still in the room, leaving four. roll your attacks, Krom. (cold iron makes no diff)

GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (6)+10+-2: 14
GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (17)+10+-2: 25

>>> DM to Krom: Miss. Hit.

GAME: Krom rolls 1d4+5: (2)+5: 7

>>> DM to Krom: it sidesteps the first, but you nail it with the second, right in the breastplate... which, being as its more of a decorative thing than real armor, collapses and crushes the bones inside. (dead)

Krom expected an attack. But it's one thing to expect something, and quite another to have a horrible skeleton actually running towards your face. After a moment of shock, the northman moves, twin blades arcing towards the undead. The first blade fails to connect, but the second hooks into the decaying breastplate, the decorative metal failing to potect the bones beneath. Broken and shattered, the undead falls to pieces.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 13.
     It is now unarmed skeletons' turn! Zant is next!

>>> DM: the remaining four rush forward! Duthei gets his AoO's... declare how you're distributing them before rolling, please."

<OOC> Duthei says, "all three on the skellies. One each."

GAME: Duthei rolls 1d20+10: (2)+10: 12
GAME: Duthei rolls 1d20+10: (7)+10: 17
GAME: Duthei rolls 1d20+10: (3)+10: 13

>>> DM to Duthei: miss. hit. miss. (stab through ribs ineffectively on two of 'em)

GAME: Duthei rolls 1d8+7: (3)+7: 10

>>> DM to Duthei: but you shatter the one you did hit. (dead)

>>> DM: three make it to the door past Duthei's AoO's, but only two can effectively fight. both will charge attack Krom again...

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+4: (13)+4: 17
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+4: (5)+4: 9

>>> DM: both skels miss Krom.

The four skeletons remaining in the chamber rush forward, but Duthei's ready for them! He manages to catch and shatter one with a blow of his weapon, but the others get to the door. Two manage to flaw at Krom effectively, while the third is blocked out by its fellows. The clawlike bony fingers of the skeletons rake down the man's armor... and make a nails-on-chalkboard sound... but that's all the effect they have; they did no real harm to him.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 21.
     It is now Zant's turn! Duthei is next!

<OOC> Zant says, "Oh snap. Is a 5ft step enough to get to attacking range of a spoopy skelly?"

>>> DM to Zant: yes. you can full attack.

<OOC> Zant says, "Then so be it! Flurry of Blows with a spent Ki point for an extra attack."

GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (10)+6+1: 17
GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (1)+6+1: 8
GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (6)+6+1: 13

>>> DM to Zant: hit. miss. miss.

GAME: Zant rolls 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9

>>> DM to Zant: it shatters apart! (dead)

"WAUGH!"

That would be the sound of Zant reacting to the sudden beam of death and such flying past him from Miles. Between that and him nearly cutting his own hand off, color is fading pretty rapidly from his face. But nevermind that for now! There's more skeletons!

Zant does have to duck down to avoid the wild swinging from the large billhook when the skeletons charge, mind you. But! When when that's all done, he springs upright again, and uses the momentum to drive his fist into a skeleton's skull with a loud "ORA!" And thus, with it, he stomps both his feet to the ground to throw two more powerful punches, both accompanied with their own yell of "ORA!!"

He only realizes AFTER, though, that the first punch was enough to shatter the skull into dust. And he ended up punching empty space twice for no apparent reason.

Zant feels very embarrassed now.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 20.
     It is now Duthei's turn! Miles is next!

>>> Being as Duthei is currently AFK tending to his child, the DM will emit something on his behalf.

Duthei, as the battle goes on at the door, spots a pair of skeletons that were hiding behing the stairs that spiralled down from above. Turning, Duthei takes the fight to them while the rest of the party deals with the ones in the burial chamber!

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 19.
     It is now Miles' turn! Krom is next!

>>> DM: ignore the skeletons Duthei is ICly taking care of.

<OOC> Miles says, "I will death ray another one! Fortunately I've got precise shot."

GAME: Miles rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22

>>> DM to Miles: hit!

GAME: Miles rolls 2d6+4: (7)+4: 11
GAME: Miles spends ONE use of DEATH RAY.

>>> DM to Miles: splattered it! (dead)

There's another crack as the air ionizes around the barrel of the Miles' death ray, and with it another skeleton goes flying as a small pile of smoking bones. As Duthei charges towards the ones under the stairs, Miles remarks. "Be ready for more of them to come at us from other directions, just in case."

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 14.
     It is now Krom's turn! unarmed skeletons is next!

>>> DM: one skeleton remains.

<OOC> Krom says, "Full attack on remaining."

GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (3)+10+-2: 11
GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (20)+10+-2: 28
GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (16)+10+-2: 24

<OOC> Krom says, "confirmed critical?"

>>> DM to Krom: miss, crit.

GAME: Krom rolls 2d4+10: (6)+10: 16

>>> DM to Krom: splatter! (dead) pose it, then combat will end.

Krom swings again, his curved blades skipping off dried bone. Until one catches, hooking though rib-space and ripping the skeletons torso apart. Not the most elegant of victories, but victory none the less.

>>> DM: Again, emitting for Duthei, storyboarding his actions while he remains AFK.

Duthei handily dispatches the two skeletons that threatened the party's rear flank!

>>> DM: Combat ends.

GAME: Duthei ends its rage.
GAME: Elisabeth removes the timestop.
Timestop by Elisabeth has left.

>>> DM: Duthei will, as he's ICly fatigued from his rage and needs to catch his breath, hang back to cover the party's rear flank until such time as his player returns.

The underground burial chamber and the hallway fall silent as the battle ends, the scattered remains of the skeletons littering the floor where they fell. The hallway continues on into the darkness, well beyond the reach of the party's light sources. The burial chamber from which these skeletons came has burial shelves lining the walls... where the skeletons clearly used to be. All the shelves are, now, empty.

Krom stands ready a few moments longer, making sure there's no second wave waiting to charge in, before relaxing. Grabbing a bit of cloth from a pocket, the northman carefully wipes off his blades before returning them to their sheaths, peering aorund the room as he does so. "Krom know little of such things. How tell who raised such abominations?"

"Boof...." Zant lets out a heavy breath when he takes a single breath back, post skeletal-destruction, and draws both his fist slowly to hover at his sides in time with a slowly-inhaled breath, posture straightening.

"Okay... So that happened," he murmurs sheepishly before his eyes turn to scan over the chambers.

"A magician could probably tell," he wagers. "We should probably take a look around. See if whoever did this left anything behind."

>>> DM to Krom: roll me a perception check

GAME: Krom rolls perception: (11)+5: 16

>>> DM to Krom: just by looking, you see the funeral shrouds, left on the floor and/or on the shelves, that were on the skeletons that used to be on the shelves... but... those shelves are too narrow in width, depth, and height to have held the skeleton wearing the armor...

Miles observes, "Well, obviously that lot didn't come in from the outside, and we've got more ground to cover in case whoever did -is- down here. Could have just been spontaneous; there've been a few incidents like that recently, possibly because of the great big dragon what showed up in Rune. Raised half those who fell fighting as undead under his control."

>>> DM: ooooh! props to Miles for bringing up recent events! :)

>>> DM Also, if anyone has Knowledge/Nobility or Knowledge/Religion, please so indicate. :)

Krom peers around a few moments, and frowns, stepping over to the shelves on which the bodies once rested. And peers at the armed skeleton and what remains of it's fancy armor. "That one did not come from this room, Krom think. Armor is too wide for these shelves."

(GM emit) Duthei, still catching breath from the rage of the previous battle, leans on the billhook and rests... and also volunteers, at least until breath is caught, to watch the party's rear flank -- something at which it's already proven Duthei is quite capable.

"I... somehow doubt whoever did this would have bothered to bring an armored skeleton with them specifically," Zant wagers, quietly, while he roams through the room, just for the sake of trying to find anything else that looks out of place -- or as far as he can go in the light provided by others, anyway. "... I guess it could be a friend who had some kind of accident during the casting. Check over him, though? Maybe he has something."

<OOC> Miles says, "I have arcana and engineering."

>>> DM to Miles: roll engineering for me?

GAME: Miles rolls knowledge/engineering: (8)+10: 18

>>> DM to Miles: you wouldn't have thought of it... but once Krom's mentioned that about the shelves, you have to agree... in fact, from what you know (based on your engineering knowledge), most family tombs like this one would have a larger, grander chamber farther in for the higher-ranking members of the family. THAT chamber would likely have coffins or somesuch that could hold an armored body.'

"He probably came from farther in, at a guess," Miles volunteers. "Most old tombs like this would have some sort of grand chamber for the family heads and the overachievers who were recognized for great deeds in life. Which means there may be more of our friend here."

(DM Note: Duthei returned from AFK at this point.)

It's true, Duthei is eminently capable of watching the flank. Long-ranged stabby for all of Deus's children. They have returned to their pale beauty, and are eerily quiet since they've returned from turning into SPACE. They are pleased to follow along, at least for now.

Krom takes a moment to search over the bones. Carefully. They shouldn't be dangerous now, but really, they weren't supposed to be dangerous in the first place. That's sorta the whole reason for being here.

>>> DM to Krom: nothing on the bones but the ceremonial burial armor. the sword isn't even really a truly combat-worthy blade... it's ceremonial, too.

>>> DM to Duthei: also, earlier I asked for know/religion or know/nobility

GAME: Duthei rolls knowledge/religion: (3)+4: 7 to Elisabeth

>>> DM to Duthei: You can't really think of more than what the other two came up with on their own, particularly Miles...

"I'm not finding anything," grumbles Zant with a wrinkle of his nose, and then sends a look to the armored skeleton again. "If there's nothing out of place there, either, I... well. We should keep going further. If there's more rooms here..."

Finding nothing of intrest, Krom shrugs, and heads back to the hall to continue further along, to whatever might be next.

Duthei follows quietly. Hey, they're just here to stab right now, until they catch their breath.

The party passes a few other, empty, burial chambers. The last one isn’t even completed... the walls don’t even have shelves built into them, yet.

At the end of the passageway is an open doorway that leads into what is clearly the mausoleum’s Grand Chamber, where the heads of this family are interred. The chamber itself is large, with a pair of sarcophagi along the far wall, one along each side-wall, and burial shelves lining the walls.

As the party enters the chamber, skeletal remains can be seen... and they are moving about the chamber instead of laying at rest. As they become aware of the party, they turn and advance. Most simply raise their hands and lurch forward, but at least one is wearing armor and draws a sword before advancing!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  ATTENTION  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

	Elisabeth has dropped a TIMESTOP!

	Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Elisabeth to instruct you further.

	For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.

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GAME: Miles rolls initiative: 2 + 2 = 4 
GAME: Duthei rolls initiative: 1 + 2 = 3 
GAME: You roll initiative for Armed Skel 1: Roll: 7 + Bonus: 5 = Total: 12
GAME: You roll initiative for Armed Skel 2: Roll: 7 + Bonus: 5 = Total: 12
GAME: Zant rolls initiative: 12 + 2 = 14
GAME: You roll initiative for Skeletons: Roll: 12 + Bonus: 6 = Total: 18
GAME: Krom rolls initiative: 5 + 5 = 10

The two sword-wielding and armor-wearing skeletons stand near the far end of the room, near two of the sarcophagai. All the unarmed and unarmored skeletons are pretty much randomly scattered about the room. There is a broken heavy mace laying on the ground near the two sword-wielding skeletons.

>>> DM: please give me one pose each, leading up to inits, so that i have an idea of party order. the doorway, by the way, is three squares wide. also, everyone now roll me a perception check.

GAME: Zant rolls perception: (4)+9: 13
GAME: Krom rolls perception: (11)+5: 16
GAME: Miles rolls perception: (14)+8: 22
GAME: Duthei rolls perception: (7)+7: 14

>>> DM to Miles: Behind the two sword-wielding skeletons, you spot movement... there's a deformed visage of a human being, clearly undead as well, lurking and hiding in the shadows behind one of the sarcophagai. It's wearing tattered scraps of what looks like chain armor underneath rags that might have been robes of some sort. If you have know/religion, now's the time to roll it for me.

Miles pages: Sadly I do not!

Krom advances along the center, mildly concerned of things jummping out from the walls. Not that the actual results of things shambeling across the floor are a vast improvement. With a sigh, the northman sets his feet and draws his blades, ready to send these things back to the afterlife.

Duthei is, of course, in the back, being tired. On the other hand, they are starting to perk back up quite quickly, and the cruel head of the billhook in their hands begins to lift as their grip strengthens. Stabbing time.

Since Duthei is taking hte rear, now, Zant has decided to take up position along the center of the formation -- what with him being able to move faster than anyone else present, afterall, if need really be. In either direction. Though, when the group comes upon the door with all the SKELETAL sounds, he winces again. "... That sounds like a lot."

Miles is behind Krom, death ray in hand should it be needed, but also ready to move in and punch something, because it'd be a shame not to field test the upgraded fists. "Ware. There's something else back there. Trying to hide. More skin on its bones, though." He nods towards the shadows. "Bugger's hiding so I can't get a shot off at it. We'll have to get to grips, or work our way through its allies first."

>>> DM: in addition to the two armed skeletons, there are a total of 7 unarmed skeletons and the whatever that Miles spotted.

GAME: You roll initiative for ???: Roll: 4 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 8

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 18.
     It is now Skeletons' turn! Zant is next!

>>> DM: the skeletons all charge. Zant and Krom are the front line right now, correct?

<OOC> Zant says, "Unfortunately. ._." <OOC> Krom says, "Yes"

>>> DM: three will attack Krom, two on Zant. this is all that can make effective attacks in the doorway.

>>> DM: attacks on krom:

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+6: (4)+6: 10
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+6: (4)+6: 10
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+6: (5)+6: 11

>>> DM: attacks on zant

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+6: (11)+6: 17
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d4+2: (1)+2: 3
GAME: You damaged Zant for 3 points. 27 HP remaining.

The small horde of unarmed and unarmored skeletons, seven in total, rush the living persons at the door of the grand chamber! Raking at Krom and Zant, they are ineffective against Krom's armor, as were the ones before, but Zant's dodging about doesn't keep him from having a scratch drawn along one forearm.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 14.
     It is now Zant's turn! Armed Skel 2 is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Zant ended.

<OOC> Zant says, "OKAY. Flurry of blows. Another Ki for an extra attack. Two attacks on #1 on me, last on #2."

GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (11)+6+1: 18
GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (4)+6+1: 11
GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (8)+6+1: 15

<OOC> Elisabeth says, "hit. miss. hit."

GAME: Zant rolls 1d6+4: (1)+4: 5
GAME: Zant rolls 1d6+3: (3)+3: 6

>>> DM to Zant: oh. then you splat two of them. (both dead)

"Whoa, whoa!" yelps out Zant when he leans his body back to void raking skelly fingers and such nonsense. "Careful, you could really hu--" he goes on, but gets himself cut off the instant when-- well, the OTHER skeleton's fingers scrape through his clothing and skin. "OW! Okay FINE THEN."

So he thus responds to this little offense by sidestepping from the skeleton that actually succeeded in scratching over him, turning into a spin with the motion that turns into an upward bounce at the last second, driving his foot in a spinning kick through one skeleton's head before he falls towards the second, and drives his fist into *that* one's skull with the weight of gravity bringing the rest of his body down. Slippery bastard that he is.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 12.
     It is now Armed Skel 2's turn! Armed Skel 1 is next!

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 12.
     It is now Armed Skel 1's turn! Krom is next!

The two sword-wielding skeletons, both armed and armored similarly to the one in the previous chamber, step forward... but are blocked from engaging the living folks by the other, lesser, skeletons.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 10.
     It is now Krom's turn! ??? is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Krom ended.

<OOC> Krom says, "Full attack on one of the lesser before me."

GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (19)+10+-2: 27
GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (19)+10+-2: 27

<OOC> Krom says, "...and two threats..."

GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (3)+10+-2: 11
GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (19)+10+-2: 27

>>> DM to Krom: yeah. it's just plain dead. don't bother rolling damage.

Krom's curved blades spin, hooking upon a skeleton and ripping it apart. Not exactly how the blades are suppsoed to work, but it's effective.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 8.
     It is now ???'s turn! Miles is next!

The ugly-looking and flesh-covered undead hiding behind one of the sarcophgai, when all the skeletons rush forward, darts from its hiding place and to the party's right... and out of sight of the party, thanks to the doorway not being as wide as the entire chamber beyond it.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 4.
     It is now Miles' turn! Duthei is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Miles ended.

<OOC> Miles says, "Is there room for me to move up?"

>>> DM to Miles: yes. easily. into the doorway, at the very least. there are skeletons blocking further progress into the room.

<OOC> Miles will do so, activate armor for strength, then punch a skeleton.

GAME: Miles activates his Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Str
GAME: Miles rolls 1d20+10: (13)+10: 23

>>> DM to Miles: yeah. that's a hit.

GAME: Miles rolls 2d6+7: (10)+7: 17

>>> DM to Miles: and a scattering of bones (dead)

Holstering his death ray as he steps forward, Miles taps a run on his armor, then lashes out with a piledriver blow from one of the massively reinforced arms of his armor, sending scattered bone flying backwards and a skull rolling around the ground. His armor's glowing and venting steam. Everything is fine, blasphemous artifice is only moderately in play.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round One - Init 3.
     It is now Duthei's turn! Skeletons is next!

<OOC> Duthei rages, gets +5' reach, takes a 5' step up and stabs a skellington. <OOC> Duthei has 'abnormal reach'. <OOC> Duthei says, "So 15' reach now."

>>> DM to Duthei: noted! :)

GAME: Duthei RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 8 temporary HP
GAME: Duthei rolls 1d20+10: (8)+10: 18

>>> DM to Duthei: hit!

GAME: Duthei rolls 1d8+7: (8)+7: 15

>>> DM to Duthei: crushed! (dead)

From behind you all, that horrible scream again - Duthei is back in space, or space has filled them, or whatever damnable transformation that has taken them once more. From past Zant's head, a wicked billhook whistles by, finding a skeleton to his right and shearing its head clean off like so much dead wood.

GAME: NEW ROUND!
     Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 18.
     It is now Skeletons' turn! Zant is next!

>>> DM: one skeleton each on zant then krom, in that order. 5' step then each makes two claw attacks.

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+2: (5)+2: 7
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+2: (18)+2: 20
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+2: (18)+2: 20
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+2: (15)+2: 17

>>> DM: miss. hit. on zant. >>> DM: hit. miss. on krom.

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d4+2: (1)+2: 3
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d4+2: (2)+2: 4
GAME: You damaged Zant for 3 points. 24 HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Krom for 4 points. 33 HP remaining.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 14.
     It is now Zant's turn! Armed Skel 2 is next!

>>> DM to Zant: there -are- holes in the line. you could 5' step to attack an armed skel.

<OOC> Zant considers this.

>>> DM to Zant: both lesser skels are in reach, also.

<OOC> Zant says, "Probably only one lesser skel after I do the 5ft step, though, right?"

>>> DM to Zant: they'd be flanking you.

<OOC> Zant says, "I will stay here and Flurry of Blows. No Ki this time. One on each of the two lesser skellies."

GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (14)+6+1: 21
GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (11)+6+1: 18

>>> DM to Zant: hit. hit.

GAME: Zant rolls 1d6+4: (1)+4: 5
GAME: Zant rolls 1d6+3: (3)+3: 6

>>> DM to Zant: both go down!

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 12.
     It is now Armed Skel 2's turn! Armed Skel 1 is next!

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 12.
     It is now Armed Skel 1's turn! Krom is next!

>>> DM: the armed skels both 5' step up to attack.#2 on Zant. #1 on Krom. They are wielding the longswordst they carry in two hands.

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8

The two armed skeletons put both hands on the hilts of their blades and step forward, slashing out at Zant and Krom, respectively. Zant's just too quick for the one skeleton... and the other one's sword is turned aside by Krom, easily, as it telegraphs its strike.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 10.
     It is now Krom's turn! ??? is next!

<OOC> Krom says, "Return as was given, full attack on teh armed that tried to skewer me."

GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (3)+10+-2: 11
GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (17)+10+-2: 25

>>> DM to Krom: miss. hit.

GAME: Krom rolls 1d4+5: (1)+5: 6

>>> DM to Krom: you hit its left arm.. and the bones shatter far too easily, as if they were already cracked and weakened. it's still on its feet, but one-armed, now.

Krom is unfond of people waving swords at him, even if they aren't doing a good job of it. The warrior of mestnoor returns the attack, shattering bone, but the undead still stands, if slightly wobbly.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 8.
     It is now ???'s turn! Miles is next!

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20: (18): 18
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20: (3): 3

>>> DM: roll perception checks, everyone.

GAME: Krom rolls perception: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Duthei rolls perception: (11)+7: 18
GAME: Miles rolls perception: (13)+8: 21
GAME: Zant rolls perception: (8)+9: 17

The sound of the claws of the one undead thing that was previously hiding draw everyone's attention. Even distracted by being in battle, everyone hears the sounds from overhead. Only Miles and Krom, however, glance up at the right time to see it clinging to the bricks over the doorway! (Krom also sees that it's wearing an amulet of some sort... with an image of a skull with flaming eyes on it.)

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 4.
     It is now Miles' turn! Duthei is next!

<OOC> Miles says, "Full attack on the thing above, if it's in reach. otherwise, one punch for each skeleton."

>>> DM to Miles: the thing overhead -is- in melee range where it is... it's a tall arching doorway... but not quite THAT tall.

GAME: Miles rolls 1d20+10: (19)+10: 29
GAME: Miles rolls 1d20+10: (12)+10: 22

>>> DM to Miles: both hit.

GAME: Miles rolls 2d6+7: (10)+7: 17
GAME: Miles rolls 2d6+7: (7)+7: 14

>>> DM to Miles: uhm... ow... you've made a critical success on your Craft/Cooking skill check. there is a fine pudding on the arch over your head. x.x it's ... beyond re-dead.

Have you ever seen someone try to catch a fly between their hands in mid-air? And then be really surprised and sort of grossed out that they managed it? What Miles just did is exactly like that, only with titan fists and a ghast instead of bare hands and a fly. The main difference is that the mess is bigger, and it's dripping between his armor-plated knuckles. "Oh, REOS."

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Two - Init 3.
     It is now Duthei's turn! Zant is next!

<OOC> Duthei stab anohter skellington.

GAME: Duthei rolls 1d20+10: (2)+10: 12

>>> DM to Duthei: that hits it square in the chest! ... but the ceremonial armor it wears deflects the weapon! (miss)

GAME: NEW ROUND!
     Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Three - Init 14.
     It is now Zant's turn! Armed Skel 2 is next!

Maybe they get distracted by Miles' transmutation of the ghast into a fine gray mist, but Duthei's next stroke is a whiff.

<OOC> Zant says, "Flurry of blows on the remaining skellington, here."

GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (6)+6+1: 13
GAME: Zant rolls melee+1: (11)+6+1: 18

>>> DM to Zant: miss... and you hit it square in the chest on thesecond... but it has armor and you just push it back a lil bit without hurting it.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Three - Init 12.
     It is now Armed Skel 2's turn! Armed Skel 1 is next!

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Three - Init 12.
     It is now Armed Skel 1's turn! Krom is next!

>>> DM: skel2 two-hands against Zant. skel1 one-hands against Krom.

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+6: (15)+6: 21
GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+6: (15)+6: 21

>>> DM: both hit!

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d8+6: (5)+6: 11
GAME: You damaged Zant for 11 points. 13 HP remaining.

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d8+5: (2)+5: 7
GAME: You damaged Krom for 7 points. 26 HP remaining.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Three - Init 10.
     It is now Krom's turn! Miles is next!

<OOC> Krom says, "More attack, take another arm... maybe a head"

GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (12)+10+-2: 20
GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2: (2)+10+-2: 10

>>> DM to Krom: miss and miss. it parries the first, the second just plain missed.

Krom is in a dark tomb, bleeding freely, and covered with Ghast Goo. "Krom is not okay with this." To make matter worse, his attacks are being turned aside, leaving him still in battle. hich ins't too bad in theory, but this specific battle has turned sorta icky.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Three - Init 4.
     It is now Miles' turn! Duthei is next!

<OOC> Miles says, "I shall punch one skeleton each."

GAME: Miles rolls 1d20+10: (5)+10: 15
GAME: Miles rolls 1d20+10: (11)+10: 21

>>> DM to Miles: miss. hit.

GAME: Miles rolls 2d6+7: (5)+7: 12

>>> DM to Miles: it shatters! (D.E.D. ... ded)

Miles flexes his finger to try and get goo out of them, then attacks, both skeletons; first a heavy blow that narrowly flies past the head of one, but as he course corrects, the backswing of his second blow scatters one of the armored figures, smashing it to pieces. "Well, I've got to say that despite some missteps, these preliminary tests are going swimmingly."

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Three - Init 3.
     It is now Duthei's turn! Zant is next!

>>> DM to Duthei: with a 5' step, you can get flanking off Miles' position.

<OOC> Duthei does the thing. Makes with stabbing.

GAME: Duthei rolls 1d20+12: (8)+12: 20

>>> DM to Duthei: miss. :( you stab it clean through the heart! ... but it doesn't have a heart, just space between ribs.

More stabbing! Whiff. Through the ribs. Duthei makes another horrible nails-on-chalkboard roar in frustration.

GAME: NEW ROUND!
     Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Four - Init 14.
     It is now Zant's turn! Armed Skel 2 is next!

>>> DM to Zant: 5' step gets you flanking, too.

<OOC> Zant says, "Yes. I will do that thing. And use Ki with flurry of blows this time because I do not trust my dice."

GAME: Zant rolls melee+1+2: (18)+6+1+2: 27
GAME: Zant rolls melee+1+2: (11)+6+1+2: 20
GAME: Zant rolls melee+1+2: (5)+6+1+2: 14

>>> DM to Zant: hit. miss. miss.

GAME: Zant rolls 1d6+4: (6)+4: 10

>>> DM to Zant: you knock off its right arm... it one-hands its sword, now!

The Truth-Sayer is getting tired. It might show a little.

In spite of it, he continues weaving and ducking along the sword-wielding skeleton, even when he, himself, gets scratched and cut occasionally -- and throwing a rapid series of punches at the undead creature, no less. And *because* of it, the rapid series also ends up working to do not a whole lot more than distract-- one punch smacks hard through the skeletal arm to send it clatting into pieces, but the rest just bounceo ff the thing's armor.

And probably bruise his knuckles, too. Because bare hands against metal platings, geez. Ow.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Four - Init 12.
     It is now Armed Skel 2's turn! Krom is next!

>>> DM: it attacks Zant with a one-armed counterswing! rawr!

GAME: Elisabeth rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8

The remaining skeleton, having lost an arm to Zant's furious flurry of attacks, simply continues to wield its blade in a single hand! It lashes out, but is so off-balance as it recovers from being pummeled and ... disarmed... that it not only fails to connect, it also leaves itself wide open for what's to come...

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Four - Init 10.
     It is now Krom's turn! Miles is next!

>>> DM: Krom, you also can 5' step for flanking.

<OOC> Krom says, "step for flanks, Full attack"

GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2+2: (11)+10+-2+2: 21
GAME: Krom rolls 1d20+10-2+2: (4)+10+-2+2: 14

>>> DM to Krom: hit. miss.

GAME: Krom rolls 1d4+5: (2)+5: 7

>>> DM to Krom: you hit this one's left arm, now! ... but that bone is nice and solid and hard, not cracked and brittle like that other one's left arm was. you nick the bone, instead of shattering it.

Krom steps up to gang up on the remaining skeleton. It's a little unfair, but if things were fair the dean would remain dead and this whole thing would be moot. But anyway, the north man attacks, blade notching bone, but not breaking it.

GAME: Elisabeth advances the initiative order.
     Round Four - Init 4.
     It is now Miles' turn! Duthei is next!

<OOC> Miles says, "Full attack on the last skel."

>>> DM to Miles: you have flanking

GAME: Miles rolls 1d20+12: (10)+12: 22
GAME: Miles rolls 1d20+12: (7)+12: 19

>>> DM to Miles: hit. miss.

GAME: Miles rolls 2d6+7: (9)+7: 16

>>> DM to Miles: you crunch it. dead."

Miles brings a heavy armored hand down on the top of the skeleton's head, basically hammering it into the ground in a neat pile of bones and dust. "Well. That's that. Is it possible the meaty...well, juicy one is the fellow who came in from outside?"

Krom shrugs, and searches around a moment. "Krom don't know. Juicy one had amulet of some sort. Krom like to look, but hope is broken."

>>> DM: anyone have knowledge/military theory?

<OOC> Duthei says, "I do"

>>> DM: no roll needed. paging.

>>> DM to Duthei: its position on the ceiling... the whateveritwas that Miles squished... it was actually avoiding being near the sword-wielding skeletons. Krom also realizes that it wasn't actually trying to do some kinda surprise pounce from above... it was trying to sneak past and away from the fight!

And now...well, all the skeletons are dead again, and this time Duthei didn't get a chance to make it happen. Restored to humanity once more, the blonde tower's platinum hair hangs in long tresses in their face, their bun disheveled yet in the best of naughty-librarian styles. "I think," they say, their tone soft, musical, and languid, "That it was trying to get away. The thing that the inventor turned into pudding."

The amulet with the 'skull with flaming eyes' image on it is whole, if a bit flatter than it used to be. The chain that once held it around its unfortunate owner's neck is broken and ruined, however.

Krom nods in agreement, eyeing the amulet but not touching it. "Agreed. Did not fight, just ran. Not sure if would have fought given chance. Much is still mystery. Krom seem to recall something else... a mace?" Carefully for yet more trouble, the northman ventures towards the sarcoffigi, where perhaps more clues might be found.

There is, indeed, a mace on the ground... once a heavy mace, its shaft is battered and hacked and broken into two pieces. All in all, the weapon wasn't anything special, however.

>>> DM: the armed skeletons wore ceremonial armor of the sort the dead are buried in. it's not even really truly combat-worthy armor. same of the swords. the ... squished one... was wearing scraps of what -used- to be chainmail and some sort of robes, too.

The party takes what they decide is worth taking, and leaves the cemetary. Three days later, they arrive in Alexandria and report their mission's outcome to the priests at the temple of Daeus.

The amulet is a symbol of Thul, the god of undeath. They presume that its owner was a cleric of that god who was, for whatever reason, raising undead in the mausoleum. When the skeletons encountered are described, the armed ones are said to likely have come back from death as Champions of their kind... and that sort of undead typically protects its tomb from invaders, which is likely how the cleric of Thul met his end. The tattered robes found on the body confirm their suppositions, for they were clearly, before ruined, ceremonial vestments of a priest of Thul.

The ceremonial arms and armor samples brought back help the priests to identify the family whose tomb was desecrated, and priests are dispatched with those things to contact the family to help them make right their family's tomb.