# Forum > Play-by-Post Games > Ongoing Games (In-Character) >  Carrion Crown: The Haunting of Harrowstone, Pt. II [IC]

## lostsole31

This is the Part II continuation of this campaign's adventure of the same name, _The Haunting of Harrowstone_. Part I can be found here.

*DRAMATIS PERSONAE*

*Name
[Player]
*
*Color
*
*Race [Ethnicity]
(gender ID)
*
*AL
*
*Side 1
*
*Side 2
*

*Alexandru "Lexi" Manescu
[BuckGodot]
*
*Saddle Brown
*
Human [Varisian]
(m)
NG (CG)
Ranger 3
[Corpse Hunter]
Tactician 3
[Battle Medic]

*Angelo Manescu
[Moriar]
*
*Purple
*
Human [Varisian]
(m)
CG
Bard 3
[Archaeologist]
Sorcerer (Undead BL) 3
[Tattooed Sorcerer]

*Hargrimm Saresun
[SwordChucks]
*
*Blue
*
Dwarf
(m)
LG
Cleric (Folgrit) 3
Radiant 3

*Marius Nicolescu
[Ason]
*
*Dark Green
*
Human [Varisian]
(m)
LG
Harbinger 3
Investigator 3
[Bonded Investigator]

*Wren Elbourne
[NPC]
*
*Indigo
*
Human [Taldan]?
(m)
CG
Bard 4
[Detective]
Ranger (Pulura) 1-4???
[Divine Tracker]

*Zauberei
[Tippnick]
*
*Gray
*
Human [Vudrani]
(m)
N
Cleric (Nethys) 3
Wizard 3

----------


## lostsole31

*FIREDAY, 3 PHARAST 4711 AR (NEW MOON)
Weather: 40 / 20 F. Dry.*

The next morning, everyone awakens for the new day.  Does anyone make any changes to their dailies?

----------


## Tippnick

Zauberei will pray to Nethys for his spells. *Spoiler: spell change*
Show


Changing out the 1st level spell remove fear and instead pray for Magic Stone

----------


## Ason

Marius cautiously prepares for a new day.

*Spoiler: Mechanics*
Show

Marius prepares the following extracts: 1x Ant Haul, 1x Cure Light Wounds

Marius readies the same maneuvers as he did the previous day.

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru goes about his normal routine. No changes.

----------


## lostsole31

The party gathers together. What do you do? It is presumed that Hargrimm casts the first round of _communal endure elements_.

----------


## Tippnick

*"So we need a ladder, if there is not one at the house here we need to run to town."*, Zauberei begins.

----------


## lostsole31

*"We don't have a ladder here, sorry,"* admits Kendra.

----------


## Moriar

"*That's alright miss, thank you again for all you do for us."* Angelo says

"*Then he turns to the others, shall we go ladder shopping?*"

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru looks at his brother... *"Don't be dense... We..."* and then looks at the others... and back at Angelo and says,  *"We don't all need to go... What if just you and I go? It's just a ladder..."*

----------


## Ason

Marius cracks a momentary, faint smile at Alexandru's response. *"It's a fair point. If someone else can do the talking--I am not much of a people person--I know a little bit about buying and selling. I could at least confirm the price is fair. The rest of us could spend the morning researching more of the papers and evidence we brought back from the prison, if nothing else."*

----------


## SwordChucks

Hargrimm speaks up. *"I may seem overly cautious, but I'll go with the others to town. Strange and dangerous things seem to happen when we visit."*

Hargrimm will give another reading of the book of war prayers before heading into Ravengro.

----------


## Tippnick

*"I think it makes more sense to grab the ladder on the way to jail. Then we can accomplish putting these haunts to rest or at least quiet them. No need to trek into town back to here then back to town."*, says Zauberei.

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru looks at Zauberei thoughtfully and nods. He hadn't considered that... He begins gathering his gear so he will be ready to depart with the others.

----------


## Ason

Marius nods. *"I'll concede that point to you, Zauberei. Let's be off together, then."* 

At that, Marius collects his usual gear for another day's journey and sets out with the group to try the markets when everyone else is ready.

----------


## lostsole31

The party go to the Ravengro General Store.  They have a 10-foot-long folding ladder they can sell you for 176 silver.

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru looks around at the others... Seeing no one stepping up, he withdraws the funds from his supply.

----------


## SwordChucks

Hargrimm fiddles with the end of his beard nervously. *"Thank you Mr. Manescu. I'd have offered, but I'm a bit skint at the moment..."*

----------


## BuckGodot

*"Please. Call me Alexandru, and it's my honour."* he replies, bowing.

----------


## Tippnick

Zauberei hands Alexandru 3 gold without saying anything.

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru politely declines Zauberei's offer.

----------


## Ason

Marius likewise shakes his head. He whispers to his friends, *"My funds are likewise drained. Maybe we could ask about renting it? We can just return the ladder once we've saved the town."*

----------


## Moriar

Angelo's mouth drops at the price but slowly closes it as his brother pays the bill.

Then proceeds to say, "*Thank you good shop keep for such a fine ladder."* Then proceeds to leave with the others towards their destination. 

*Spoiler: to the collective* 
Show



_"Thank you for covering that expensive ladder as I don't even have two silvers to rub together currently.  Shall we head off to utilize said ladder?"_

----------


## lostsole31

As Alexandru counts out 18 gold, the female proprieter scolds the older man and takes over.

*"The old coot hasn't had his cuppa' yet this morning, and he was doing weight inventory. He was charging you the amount in weight, not gold,"* she explains. *"That will be 2 gold, 2 silver."*

Alexandru pays that easily enough, and now has his own folding ladder.

What now?

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru stows his new ladder and turns to the group looking at them in anticipation. 

*"Shall we?"*

----------


## lostsole31

AAAAAAAnnnnnnnd ..... the group is now at Harrowstone, in the complex, on the ground floor, overlooking the yawning pit.

Let me know if you cast any buffs or preparations before moving on. 

Hargrimm already read from his book.

Hargrimm, do you keep the same akashic bond setup?

Alexandru, collective for all?

Wren does his normal three-round long discussion of things for the party to keep their alertness up (lasts an hour).

Anyone else?

----------


## SwordChucks

*Spoiler: Akashic Fiddling*
Show

Hargrimm keeps his current akashic bond setup with the following additions: He places an additional point in his bond with Alexandru (1 -> 2), and Hargrimm will go ahead and invest two points into his Banelight Vortices (0 -> 2)


*"I can grant Folgrit's protection or fill your weapon with her will, but only for a short time. If you need that assitance call out to me, but remember that I have to make contact to deliver her gifts."*

Hargrimm is ready to descend.

----------


## Tippnick

Zauberei casts mage armor on himself.

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru will invite all who he can that are willing to The Collective.

----------


## Tippnick

Zauberei agrees to the collective as before.

----------


## Moriar

Angelo of course stays in the collective. 

Then using Tippys echo ability to extend a spell, Angelo will cast mage armor on himself.

Tippy will be in tattoo form for now.

----------


## Ason

Marius also agrees to the join collective, assuming there is room for him this time. He also drinks an extract of Ant Haul to lighten his own burdens.

Once everyone is properly buffed up, Marius says, *"Don't forget that Father Charlatan is still unaccounted for: best to watch our backs, though I suppose that can't be helped for now. Once our light sources are ready, let us descend so we can finally be done with this place."*

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru unfolds the newly acquired ladder and drops it down the pit after securing it in place. He then looks at his brother and nods silently before beginning his decent.

----------


## SwordChucks

Hargrimm waits until the front lines are down the ladder before heading down himself.

----------


## Moriar

With a bit of concern in his eyes he nodded back to Lexi.  

Not wanting to be too far from his brother heads down after him.

----------


## Tippnick

Zauberei descends on his turn in the marching order.

----------


## Ason

Marius takes up position at the rear of the party, descending last so that he can clumsily transport his polearm down with him.

----------


## lostsole31

Because of the nature of the folding ladder, nobody will want to be on the ladder at the same time as anyone else.

As long as Lexi is carefuly, he can carefully climb down the ladder  which is "free-dangling" since the walls aren't hearby.  Then, it is a  10' drop to the floor below, but Lexi doesn't see it.

Wren, for his part, steps to the very edge, turns into a vaporous form  of himself - and with his lit lab coat floats down to the bottom, and then over to the side to avoid the large pool of water.

As  Lexi is hanging 10' above the water he looks around with the light  provided by Wren. This cavernous chamber may have once been an  underground cellblock, but it has long since collapsed. The crumbled  walls are thick with mold and stained with soot, and heaps of fallen  stones and charred wooden beams line the area. Water drips and seeps  along the walls, collecting in a dark, murky pool in the middle of the  room. To the north, the twisted remains of a wood and iron lift lie in a  heap in a shallow portion of the pool. A jagged hole in the roof yawns  ten feet above this ruin to your friends above, before the 10' drop to  the water. To the west, a partially blocked opening seems to open up  after several feet into a dark but stable tunnel.

Wren-mist  settles to the side and becomes corporeal again. As soon as this  happens, and Wren's midnight-blue illumination shows the room, the room  fills with a cacophonous roar of screams and howls, echoes of the cries  of those who burned to death in this room. This unsettling manifestation  causes no harm, but an instant later, the surface of the dark pool of  water begins rippling around the ruined lift as two ectoplasmic spirits  rise up, dripping and horrible, to attack.

*Begin Round One ...*

*R1T20:* Alexandru,  you are suspended 10' in the air, at the bottom of the folding ladder's  length, above a pool of water of an unknown depth, and now some  spookies have come to play. What do you do?

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru lowers himself to the bottom rung on the ladder to, hopefully, minimise the effects of the drop, then attempts to swing himself to the north, hoping to land as near to the shore as possible and lets go, using whatever dexterity he has to try to land without hurting himself. 

*"Excelsior!"*, he shouts as he drops.


He then draws his sword and shield.

*Spoiler: Technical Information*
Show

He has no skills to support any of these actions. (Aside from Climb but I don't know how that could help.) So it is as posted above.

----------


## lostsole31

*R1T20:* Alexandru lowers himself to the bottom rung on  the ladder to hopefully  minimize the effects of the drop. He twists around as he dangles,  realizing that his weight actually works against a swing, and then just  lets go, shouting *"Excelsior!"* as he drops onto his back for *2 mod NL*.  He stands on his feet as there's enough water to put him under if he  stays on his back, and for now has only his armor and gauntlets to  protect him.*Spoiler: Alexandru*
Show

Just barely made the Climb check to  "drop" to the final rung (barely), and swinging would actually be more  dangerous, as it would create a longer fall and onto a harder surface.  The shallower drop and partial water means you took damage as normal  (failed Acrobatics to lessen the blow), but it was nonlethal instead.  "Dropping" is not moving. It is a FA, but it also means you don't get to  draw weapon/shield "on the fall."  Water is waist height, meaning you  are submerged, so it would be silly to try and do anything other than  getting on your feet ... which is why I had you get on your feet rather  than draw sword or shield.

*R1T17:* Angelo,  at this time there is no danger to which you are aware as your brother  didn't send any kind of report. Your brother did what could be expected,  which was to minize the drop. His fall showed that the water is waist  deep, and he safely stood on his feet. However, it seems he is  particularly guarded and staring to the relative south. What do you do?

----------


## Moriar

Angelo will climb down the ladder and then tumble to land safely north of his brother.  

*Spoiler: collective*
Show



_"What do you see brother?"_ Angelo asks.

Then will report back if he what he notices once down there





*Spoiler: Crunch*
Show



Rusty, just a reminder that in an earlier post I used Tippys echo ability to cast mage armor on Angelo.

Acrobatics roll to reduce the fall: (1d20+9)[*12*]

Will attempt to land safely and then move to be north of his brother or to land just north of him.

Then will use senses to analyze what he is being cautious about if I see anything and will report back to the collective

----------


## lostsole31

*R1T17:* Angelo climbs down the ladder, his feet now at the bottom rung.

*R1T14:* Zauberei, what do you do?

----------


## Tippnick

Zauberei moves closer to the ladder. He will be just north of it and waits his turn to go down. *"What is the commotion?"*, Zauberei asks.
*Spoiler: ready*
Show


Move action to get close to the ladder and not be in the way. He then readies an action to climb down when it is his turn in the marching order

----------


## lostsole31

*R1T14:* Zauberei moves closer to the ladder. He will be just north of it and waits his turn to go down. *"What is the commotion?"* Zauberei asks. 

*R1T12:* Hargrimm, what do you do?

----------


## SwordChucks

Unsure of the reason for concern and not wanting to fall on to Alexandru and Angelo, Hargrimm delays.

----------


## lostsole31

*R1T12:* Unsure of the reason for concern and not wanting to fall on to Alexandru and Angelo, Hargrimm delays. 

*R1T11:* Paula squeaks nervously, sensing the tension, and delays.

*R1T10:*  Down below, something seems to climb onto the empty air out of the  water and close on Lexi. This slimy, shifting mass has the shape of a  humanoid, but is made out  of what appears to be some form of sticky rope or cloth. Its body  lurches jerkily, struggling to maintain its horrid form. It stands only a  few inches off the water and it is now right next to Lexi. Zauberei and  Angelo, both looking down, can see this thing as it is under the "hole"  from above, and outlined by Wren's midnight blue _light_ on his labcoat.

*R1T9:* Wren calls out, *"Ectoplasmic human - undead! Corporeal, but can phase lurch through obstacles briefly, and hard to kill."*

He  then disappears from view, even though the midnight blue light still  emanates from his position. He then carefully makes his way south and  west, but makes a bunch of random catcalls at the undead, so while  invisible, they know there is something where he is.

*R1T6:* Marius,  your shield is stowed in preparation for your climb, though your  polearm is in hand. Zauberei is at the top of the ladder but not climbed  down ... but you can't ally-free-move through him and down the ladder,  and Angelo is on the ladder anyway. What do you do?

----------


## Ason

Marius shifts into a defensive posture, holding his polearm in two hands again. He shifts closer to the hole in order to gingerly peer down, before pulling back and attempting to cover the pit's entrance with his polearm.

*Spoiler: Mechanics*
Show

*Swift:* Aura of Misfortune stance
*Move:* walk to a safe square immediately northwest of the pit's entrance (_i.e. not in danger of falling in but close enough to interact next turn if need be. It's hard to precisely dictate his movement, as Marius' last position on a map I could see seemed to straddle two different 5 x5 squares_)
*Free:* if Marius is able to see anything down there besides his companions, he'll attempt a knowledge check to identify it
*Standard:* ready action to attack any hostile creatures that come into range with his polearm

----------


## lostsole31

*R1T6:* Marius shifts into a defensive posture, holding his polearm in two hands  again. He shifts closer to the hole in order to gingerly peer down,  before pulling back and attempting to cover the pit's entrance with his  polearm. He sees something disturbing, recognizing for sure what he sees, and another one comes into view ...

*R1T2:* .... as Red walks up out of but on top of the water like the other one and closes on Lexi.

*End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T20:* Lexi, what do you do? Your are waist deep in water, and nothing in hand - neither weapon nor shield.

Angie on deck, Zauberei in the hole ...

----------


## SwordChucks

Hargrimm moves as far as he can to the north and east, trying to keep Alexandru and Wren's blue _light_ in view. He keeps one hand raised and ready to throw a vortex.

*"Keep communicating and make way for the others to come down!"*

*Spoiler: Combat*
Show

Move action: Move 10ft east and 10ft north.
Standard action: If the ectoplasmic human becomes visible, then attack with Banelight Vortices, else ready an attack with same against the next creature matching that description that comes into range.

----------


## lostsole31

*R2T21:* Hargrimm moves as far as he can to the north and east, trying to keep Alexandru and Wren's blue _light_ in view. He keeps one hand raised and ready to throw a vortex. *"Keep communicating and make way for the others to come down!"* 

He gets an opening, and completely obliterates an ectoplasmic human.

*R2T20:* Lexi, now it is just one of these undead. What do you do?

Angie on deck, Zauberei in the hole ...

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru draws his sword and, using a two handed grip, slashes out at the entity in front of him.

*Spoiler: Technical Information*
Show

MA: Draw sword

Attack: Risky Strike (1d20+8)[*26*]

Damage: (1d8+11)[*15*]

Undead Exterminator (Ex):  +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, & Survival checks when dealing w/ creatures of the undead type
*  +2 bonus on weapon attack & damage rolls vs. undead.

----------


## lostsole31

*R2T20:* Alexandru draws his sword and, using a two  handed grip, slashes out at the entity in front of him, cleaving through  its upper arm and into its chest. Lexi roughly pulls his sword out even  as the creature combusts to ash from the inside, the ash falling into a  carboniferous slurry on the water.

*Combat Ends!*

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru skitters backwards out of the water.

----------


## lostsole31

For his part, Wren turns visible again.

Okay, Angelo. You are on the ladder, and it's a 10' drop to the water below. What do you do?

----------


## Moriar

Angelo will tumble down below and then move out of the water to be near his brother. Then will look around to examine the room.
*
"Are you ok Lexi? Sorry that I didn't get a chance to talk to your new friends before they left."*

*Spoiler: crunch*
Show



Acrobatics roll to reduce the fall: (1d20+9)[*29*]

----------


## BuckGodot

*"I am fine, brother. Nothing we haven't seen before. But I hate being wet..."*he replies as he shakes his hands and stamps his feet.

----------


## SwordChucks

Seeing how deep the water is on the taller members of the group, Hargrimm wraps his beard around his neck like a scarf to keep it dry. He starts to climb down once the way is clear, dropping straight down the last 10 feet.

*"Knowing our luck, we'll find some towels down here and they'll be haunted."*

----------


## lostsole31

Angelo drops deftly into the water, onto his feet and without pain.

Hargrimm has to drop his staff into the water before heading down. Then, he gets onto the ladder, and manages to climb halfway down before he falls with a big splash for only *1 NL*.

Zauberei and Marius are left, and each also have to drop down staff and polearm, respectively.

----------


## Tippnick

Zauberei drops his staff down the hole and begins to climb down. As he gets to bottom rung he drops the rest of the way. He attempts to land safely.

*Spoiler: acrobatics* 
Show



(d20-1)[*11*]

----------


## Ason

Marius drops his fighting stance at the sound of combat ending. He  watches Zauberei climb down the ladder and then drop the final few feet.

*"You all safe down there?"* he calls down, *"If  we have a moment, I think it safer if I toss a second rope down  alongside the ladder for our return trip. If we can haul ourselves up  the first few feet on said rope, the ladder should get us out the rest  of the way."*

Marius  will proceed to do exactly what he said. He loops his silk rope three  times around the highest two rungs of the ladder, slowly feeds rope  through those loops to shimmy one end of the rope down to just touch the waterline, and then tightens the loops to snugly grip the  ladder's top rungs. Holding onto the remaining length of rope that he  did not feed through the loops down into the pit, Marius then lashes the  rope to the sturdiest and heaviest anchor point within reach or,  failing that, ties it in a knot, so that either way the rope should hold  fast and rest alongside the ladder.

His preparations made,  Marius slowly lowers his lucerne hammer into the pit, hammer-end down to lessen the odds of it twirling. *"While I don't want to lose my weapon in the muck, I don't want to give anyone a concussion either. Please stand back as I drop this down."* Holding on to the butt of the polearm as it dangles into the pit, Marius drops it the rest of the way, attempting to aim it away from his friends. Then he descends the ladder himself at last, and Marius imitates Zauberei by climbing down  from the last rung with his feet dangling before dropping the rest of  the way himself and then retrieving his hammer.

*"Sorry for the delay,"* he says to the group, *"I'm ready to proceed now."*

*Spoiler: Mechanics*
Show

*Acrobatics:* (1d20+10)[*18*]

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru will help with the hammer and as Marius lands, he asks *You had a rope?*

----------


## lostsole31

And with that, everyone is now down in this massive chamber. This cavernous chamber may have once been an underground cellblock, but it has long since collapsed. The crumbled walls are thick with mold and stained with soot, and heaps of fallen stones and charred wooden beams line the area. Water drips and seeps along the walls, collecting in a dark, murky pool in 
the middle of the room. To the north, the twisted remains of a wood and iron lift lie in a heap in a shallow portion of the pool. A jagged hole in the roof yawns twenty feet above this ruin. To the west, a partially blocked opening seems to open up after several feet into a dark but stable tunnel.

But before that, everyone except Wren was half to fully immersed in the freezing waters. Luckily, the spell Hargrimm protects you all ... as long as your clothes dry before the spell expires.

What do you do?

----------


## Ason

Marius winces sheepishly at Alexandru's question. *"Yes..."* he admits guiltily, before blurting out an anxious explanation, *"But climbing up a swinging rope with no supporting wall, over a lipped rim and with all our armor and equipment, seemed risky. When it comes to safety precautions, I prefer to have redundancies. Still... I am sorry if my reticence caused undue burdens. I will try to make it right going forward."*

He follows the party into the current chamber in shamefaced silence. As the water dripping off their clothing accompanies the tune of the water dripping off the walls, Marius looks at the magic users of the party and finally speaks again, meekly asking, *"I hate to impose, but... do any of you happen to know the prestidigitation cantrip? I'd be grateful if someone could magic that pit-water off me. Meanwhile, there's an extract I should craft while we decide our next steps."*

Deferring to the others to decide the party's next steps for now, Marius starts mixing an extract.

*Spoiler: Mechanics*
Show

Marius takes one minute to mix one extract of Monkey Fish, assuming the current space and conditions allow for it to be done easily.

----------


## Tippnick

*"I did not prepare it, my apologies. I should have foreseen an issue like this. If we had some time I could substitute a centrip"*, Zauberei apologizes.

----------


## SwordChucks

Hargrimm shakes his head as he wrings out his beard and clothes as best he can. *"Sorry, that's not in my repertoire either. If only we hadn't exorcized that malicious oven."* he jokes lamely while fetching his quarterstaff.

----------


## lostsole31

*"Shall we move forward?"* asks Wren. *"Shield-wearers, will you ready yourselves or keep hands more free and responsive for now?"*

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru looks at Wren and nods, drawing his sword and fitting his shield...

*"Although, I wouldn't mind if we at least started a fire in an attempt to dry out..."*

----------


## lostsole31

Wren looks at Lexi for several long seconds. *"The vast majority of these prisoners were killed in a fire that swept through these lower halls, creating a massacre. And ... you want to get all of their attentions by making a fire?"*

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru grins, sheepishly.

----------


## lostsole31

The party gathers and moves west into the next large chamber. Four dark hallways exit from this large empty chamber, each striking out in one of the four directions of the compass, and each decorated with a soot-caked brass nameplate affixed to the ceiling just above the entrance. A rubble-choked stairway leads up in the middle of the room, while eight skeletons dressed in scorched prisoners robes lie on the ground.

What do you do?

----------


## SwordChucks

Hargrimm eyes the skeletons warily. *"Perhaps caution is called for here. Can we check that the dead won't rise before choosing a direction?"*

Hargrimm offers to cover the others with a readied vortex should they agree.

----------


## Tippnick

*"If you have a way to detect undead please do so"*, Zauberei agrees.


*Spoiler: zauberei learning*
Show


Zaubereiwill try to determine what Hargrimm is doing]

----------


## Moriar

*"Sorry alll and brother, I must have been lost in thought or something, "* Angelo guesses.  

*"Though I don't currently have the ability to detect undead, I can be rather charming with them once they introduce themselves.  As for the dampness, I shall begin taking care of that."*  Angelo casts a spell and then begins to dry first his brother and then everyone else including himself over time.

*Spoiler: Blow dry time!*
Show




Angelo casts prestidigition and begins drying everyone off beginning with Lexi.

While drying everyone, he will use his senses visually keep an eye out.

----------


## lostsole31

Angelo casts _prestidigitation_ on Lexi, but finds out that he cannot dry clothes with the cantrip.

Just then, with no sense of surprise from the party whatsoever, the corpses start to stir.

*Surprise Round!*

*S24:* Marius, what do you do?

----------


## Ason

Marius quietly gasps in alarm before frantically thwacking at the nearest undead with his hammer and shifting slightly to the southeast.

*Spoiler: Mechanics*
Show

*Standard Action:* risky strike at red+blue (the undead immediately north of Zauberei) or, if for some reason that is not a viable target, purple
Attack Roll: (1d20+7)[*12*]Damage Roll: (1d12+4)[*12*] bludgeoning
*Five-Foot Step:* to the southeast

My  understanding is that Marius already has his polearm in-hand (since we've established he can't really sheathe/stow it) but that  his shield is still unequipped. Thus, I calculated his damage as if he held his hammer in two hands, since he doesn't have a shield to get in the way right now.

If Marius needs to first spend an action  to hold his polearm properly in both hands, he will use his action to instead equip his weapon in order to allow for opportunity attacks as well as attacks  next turn.

----------


## lostsole31

*S24:* Marius quietly gasps in alarm before frantically  thwacking at Red-Blue with his hammer, but missing with allies in the  way. Marius adjusts to the southeast.

*S23:* Alexandru, what do you do?

----------


## BuckGodot

Alexandru drops his sword, draws his warhammer, and lashes out at Purple.

*Spoiler: Technical Information*
Show

Drop sword
MA: Draw warhammer
Attack using Risky Strike: (1d20+6)[*13*]

Damage: (1d8+6)[*8*]

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## lostsole31

*S23:* Alexandru drops his sword and draws his  hammer.*Spoiler: Alexandru*
Show

Had to move you 5' to engage. Also, a surprise  round means you get an MA or an SA, not both (which also means no FRA  or FAA).

*S22:* Zauberei, quarterstaff in hand. This is a surprise round. What do you do?

----------


## Tippnick

Zauberie moves about 5 feet to the southwest and then concentrates for a moment.
*Spoiler: deflection*
Show


5 ft step to SW and the activates his domain deflection aura. 
He will also assess the creatures to see if they are more than just normal skeletons

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## lostsole31

*S22:* Zauberie moves about 5 feet to the southwest and then concentrates for a moment. Everyone feels a subtle energy about them.

*S17:*  All of the skeletons are getting to their feet now. As they do,  Alexandru is able to dust Purple with a powerful thonk of his warhammer,  but now they are all on their feet.

*S16:* Paula squeaks in alarm (delaying)!

*S12:* *"I hate skeletons,"*  Wren says flatfly with his almost useless choppy-stabby dagger in his  hand. He acrobatically darts to the east into the ruined corridor.

*S11:* Angelo, this is a surprise round. What do you do?

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## Moriar

*"Too many fans,*" Angelo admits grudgingly.

He then begins to hum a tune to himself and lashing out the whip quickly.

*Spoiler: Whip it good*
Show



SwA start Archelogists luck

Then SA with serpent lash to trip red/blue.  Trip roll: [rol]1d20+7[/roll]

If trip successful then trip red as well. Trip 2 roll: (1d20+7)[*24*]

Last is 5' step to east

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## lostsole31

*S11:* *"Too many fans,*"  Angelo admits grudgingly. He then begins to hum a tune to himself and  goes to lash out with his whip when he realizes he never took his whip  back out after the whole climbfest. He sighs and draws his whip, now  being as good a time as any.

*S10:* Hargrimm, what do you do?

Marius on deck, Alexandru in the hole ...

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## SwordChucks

Hargrimm steps away from the skeleton bearing down on him and throws two vortices at the two nearest him.
*"You may use this if you'd like Mr. Elbourne!"* Hargrimm says holding his quarterstaff aloft.

*Spoiler: Combat*
Show

5ft step southeast.
Standard action: Attack Red/Blue and Red with Banelight Vortices.
Move action?: Offer the quarterstaff to Wren.

Vortex 1 (Red/Blue): (1d20+4)[*14*], (6d6)[*22*]
Vortex 2 (Red): (1d20+4)[*16*], (6d6)[*22*]

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## lostsole31

*S10:* Hargrimm steps away from the skeleton bearing down  on him and throws two vortices at the two nearest him, missing one but  destroying another. *"You may use this if you'd like Mr. Elbourne!"* Hargrimm calls out, holding his quarterstaff aloft. 

*End Surprise Round, Begin Round One ...

R1T24:* Marius, what do you do?

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## Ason

Marius hurriedly straps his shield back onto his arm, and then with unnatural speed he darts between Zauberei and Angelo. Skidding to a halt, he swings his lucerne hammer down at the skeleton in front of him.

*"At least no stirges this time..."* he says with faint optimism.

*Spoiler: Mechanics*
Show

*Move:* ready shield
*Swift:* Grim News to move 5' west and 5' northwest to end up between Zauberei and Angelo 
*Standard:* Temporal Burn on Red/Blue; attack roll (1d20+8)[*22*]; base damage roll (1d12+1)[*2*] plus maneuver damage (2d6)[*9*]

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## lostsole31

*R1T24:* Marius hurriedly straps his shield back onto his arm, and then with  unnatural speed he darts between Zauberei and Angelo. Skidding to a  halt, he swings his lucerne hammer down at the skeleton in front of him, smashing through shoulder and torso to destroy it.

*"At least no stirges this time..."* he says with faint optimism. 

*R1T23:* Alexandru. What do you do?

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## BuckGodot

Alexandru moves forward and brings his hammer down on Blue.

*Spoiler: Technical Information*
Show

MA: move south 15'
Attack using Risky Strike: (1d20+6)[*22*]

Haste

Undead Exterminator

Damage: (1d8+6)[*7*]

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## lostsole31

*R1T23:* Alexandru moves forward and brings his hammer down on Blue, destroying it! 

*R1T22:* Zauberei, what do you do?

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## Tippnick

*"Great job friends, there is still a couple North of me"*, Zauberei points out. He then directs a beam of positive energy at a skeleton.

*Spoiler: disrupt undead*
Show


Standard action  cast disrupt undead at yellow.
(1d20+3)[*21*]
He will maintain his aura
Then 5ft step to SE

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## lostsole31

*R1T22:* *"Great job friends, there is still a couple north of me",* Zauberei  points out. He then directs a beam of positive energy at a skeleton that hits it in the bony knee for *3 PE*.

*R1T17:*  The skeletons go .... Yellow charges Marius, but the latter dusts it with  his lucerne hammer! Pink also charges him, and this time Marius  can't stop it, but the retraction of his hafted weapon is enough of an  obstacle to throw off that rush as its claw misses the him. Green makes  a hard charge that Lexi's armor barely resists. Brown double-moves to close on  Lexi.

*R1T12:* Wren rushes past Hargrimm, drops his own dagger, and grabs the proffered staff.

*R1T11:* Angelo, what do you do?

Hargrimm on deck, Marius in the hole ...

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## Moriar

*"I can't let you have all the fun brother*," Angelo says as he tumbles closer to Lexi and strikes out with his whip.


*Spoiler: Crunchy*
Show



Stops humming and let's lingering performance continue the benefits.

Tumbling 15' to the south to be behind Lexi.

Tumble check: (1d20+9)[*24*]

Using serpent lash to trip first brown and then hopefully green.

Trip 1 vs brown: (1d20+7)[*16*]

Trip 2 vs green: (1d20+7)[*27*]

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## lostsole31

*R1T11:* *"I can't let you have all the fun, brother*,"  Angelo says as he tumbles closer to Lexi and strikes out with his whip,  missing with his one and only attempt with his brother partially in the way and  from the exertions of the acrobatics.

*R1T10:* Hargrimm, what do you do?

Marius on deck, Lexi in the hole ...

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## SwordChucks

Hargrimm hurls more vortices of light at the skeletons to the south, before moving to flank the northern skeleton with Wren.

*Spoiler: Combat*
Show

Standard action: Attack Brown and then Green with Banelight Vortices.
Swift action: Reallocate the two essence in Banelight Vortices to Sparkling Alicorn.
Move action: Move to the north of Pink.

Vortex vs Brown: (1d20+4)[*20*], (6d6)[*20*]
Vortex vs Green: (1d20+4)[*13*], (6d6)[*15*]

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## lostsole31

*R1T10:* Hargrimm hurls more vortices of light at the  skeletons to the south (hitting and dusting one), before moving to flank  the northern skeleton with Marius, even as the balls of light at his  shoulder diminish and a unicorn horn made of sparkling light appears on  the dwarf's head!

*End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T24:* Marius, what do you do?

Lexi on deck, Zauberei in the hole ...

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## Ason

Marius desperately swings his shield at the oncoming undead in an attempt to batter it down. *"We have different definitions of fun,"* he protests to Angelo.

*Spoiler: Mechanics*
Show

*Standard:* shield bash risky strike on pink; attack (1d20+7)[*23*] (_no flanking or bonuses included apart from risky strike penalty_); damage (1d3+3)[*6*]; lose shield bonus to AC for 1 round

*Immediate (if triggered):* Spilled Salt on first undead to attack an ally or Marius

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## lostsole31

*R2T24:* Marius takes out his shield ..... and then desperately swings it down onto the skeleton's right foot for *6*. *"We have different definitions of fun,"* he protests to Angelo.  

*R2T23:* Alexandru, what do you do?

Zauberei on deck, Skeletons in the hole ...

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## BuckGodot

Since it's right there, Alexandru decides to go ahead and relieve the green skeleton of its undeath and bashes it with his hammer.

*Spoiler: Technical Information*
Show

Attack using Risky Strike: (1d20+6)[*9*]

Damage: (1d8+6)[*13*]

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## Tippnick

Zauberei stepsforward to the East of Larius and attacks the skeleton with his staff.

*Spoiler: swinging a big stick*
Show



(1d20+1)[*18*]
Damage
(1d6-1)[*0*]

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## lostsole31

*R2T23:* Since it's right there, Alexandru decides to go  ahead and relieve the  green skeleton of its undeath and tries to bash it with his hammer, but  the skeleton proves faster than expected as it ducks away.

*R2T22:*  Zauberei stepsforward to the east of Marius and attacks the skeleton  with his staff. It is a beautiful strike that hits the skeleton square  in the sternum and along the side of the rids ... and was so weakly  swing that it just clacks against its bone, doing nothing.

*R2T17:*  Pink sidesteps away from the mass of attackers and claws at Hargrimm's  armor, just as Green performs the same futility against Alexandru.

*R2T12:* Wren practically leapfrogs over Zauberei to stand in front of him protectively, threatening the skeleton with the staff.

*R2T11:* Angelo, you're still feeling frisky from your previous insights. What do you do?

Hargrimm on deck, Marius in the hole ...

----------

