[I am going to post another round of activity since I am going to be gone until very late playing Champions. By the way, I just caught on that the minion skeletons are flanking Ridicully so I won't be using Thunderwave.]

Closer to the field of battle, Shroom launches forth another magic missile, hoping to distract the bony fiends from the overwhelmed Ridiculy.

Magic Missile Attack Roll (1d20+3=9)

Magic Missile Damage Roll (2d4+3=9)

Quote from: Abyssal Maw;289243And I just now noted Fargrim was using his dwarven resilience. So now he is up to 14 hit points. Still bloodied, but feeling much better.

And never went down!  Although, he is grateful for Stralor being right there with the Laying on Hands action!

Fargrim runs around the wall and positions himself so that the skeleton is between himself and Ridcully.  Fargrim unleashes a barage of blows from each end of axe, hitting the skeleton and taking him down.

(OOC- Fargrim's Dual Strike attacks hit AC 12 & 22.  One hit successfully for 10 damage.)

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Quote from: Abyssal Maw;289243And I just now noted Fargrim was using his dwarven resilience. So now he is up to 14 hit points. Still bloodied, but feeling much better.

And never went down!  Although, he is grateful for Stralor being right there with the Laying on Hands action![/I]

Ridcully will rely on Artful Dodger and circle around to the side of the skeleton opposite his friends and swing with Piercing Strike (which opposes their reflex defense instead of ac).

Next 4 d20 rolls if needed: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1979240/

Next 4 d4 damage rolls for dagger: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1979243/

Next 4 possible sneak attack damage rolls: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1979246/

Repost of initiative, this time starting at Fargrim.

• Ridcully
• Rotting Dwarven Skeletons
• Fargrim
• Stralor
• Shroom

Fargrim grabs up his axe and runs around behind the wall, where he swings his double axe in a spinning double strike.... The skeleton pinned between him and Ridcully is caught offguard and goes down in a clatter of dry bones.

Stralor rushes to the far side of the wall and Shroom launches another magic missile, which flies wide and impacts the crumbling stone.

In that moment of distraction, Ridcully slips behind the last remaining skeleton and drives his dagger into it. It collapses.

You all stand around panting, looking at each other. It is approaching dusk.

==============OOC===============

Ok, the encounter is now over. You have killed 5 out of the 12 skeletons that made up the Fallen Defenders of Copperpot Hold. This encounter was worth 93 XP each. please edit your character sheet and post your XP!

Stralor's temporary hit points disappear at this point. You can spend healing surges freely to heal at this point.

hit points recap:
Fargrim is at 14 hit points
Stralor is 3 hp. He is also down 1 healing surge.
Ridcully is at 19
Shroom is at 23

At this point I'd like to bring in Venosha's character. See next post.

In the distance, just at the edge of the orchard, you can see a dilapidated farmhouse with a nearby barn, abandoned for years, even before the blight.

Around this time, Ridcully also notices the silhouette of a lone figure walking down the trail from Copperpot Hold. It is a female elf, wearing a backpack, and carrying a longbow.

Before long she crosses the distance from the trail to the orchard and approaches your group.  

==========OOC====================
Welcome to Venosha's character Edwena, elven battle cleric..! Edwena has heard about the undead dwarves and was coming to assess the problem on behalf of the Elven Court nearby as a gesture of friendship with the dwarven clan here.
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Ridcully also points back towards the farmhouse, alerting your group. He notices movement in the windows on  the upper floor...

Shoom looks at Ridiculy with wide eyes and then the window with squinted ones, saying, "You believe that someone lurks high in the farmhouse? Of course, the only obvious thing to do is investigate." He then bows his head to Edwena, "Ladies first!"

OCC: Stralor will use 3 surges at this point to heal up. (3x6+3) So he is back up to 21. He is down to 6 surges for the day (4 used).

As Starol is applying a compress to a wound, he notice figure crossing the field. "Looks like we have a visitor, but ill intent does not seem to be her business."

Ridcully brushes himself off, retrieves his thrown dagger, and then grins at the elf and says, "Hey, you're an elf. Do your eyes almost pop out all the time too? Oww. Anyone have a shovel?"

At the request of the her Elven Court, Edwena leaves Copperpot Hold and makes her way towards the rumored area where Dwarf Skeletons are said to  haunt the grounds.  As she makes her way out of the orchard, she notices four stout adventures looking in her direction as she passes a farmhouse.

 She evaluates the situation as she approaches the battle ground and eyes the scattered skeletons lying in pieces.  Edwena hustles towards the dwarf, "I am Edwena of the house of Winterbane," she bows to the dwarf.  "I came to offer my service in laying the skeletons to rest," she pauses "as an offer of friendship with the dwarven clan."  Again she looks at the ground, "I dare say I might be a little late."

Edwena's attention is caught by the halfling as he points towards the farm house.  "Maybe not," she looks back at the group.

Looking at the broken and scattered remains of kinsmen, Fargrim's stomach turns queasy and the bile starts to rise in his throat.  He is able to choke it down before anyone notices because they are otherwise occupied by the lone elf figure walking towards them, and the silhouette in the farmhouse.  

As the figure comes closer to them, Fargrim unconsciously grooms his beard, returning any errant wisps back into place.  He squirms his shoulders around a bit, to re-adjust his chainmail, and stomps his boots to shake the dust off.

Once she approaches him and speaks, Fargrim bowed deeply and respectfully towards her.

"Your arrival and offer of aid is most welcome, Edwena of House Winterbane, and we accept it in honest appreciation," Fargrim says in genuine sincerity, "I am Fargrim, son of Osrik."

Turning to each of his companions as he introduces them, he says, "this is Ridcully, a deadly knife-fighter.  This is Lord Stralor, a champion of the Church of Pelor.  And, this is Shroom, student of the Arcane Arts.  These brave men have agreed to aid me in putting to rest the souls and remains of my ancestors, and to discover and vanquish this malevolence that has brought this evil Blight upon the peaceful Hekat Valley."

Addressing Edwena again, Fargrim says, "the dwarves of Copperpot Hold will not forget this kindness by our elven friends."

Looking sheepish for a moment, he says to his companions, "neither will they forget your aid, my brave and bold friends.  We have forged a bond in battle that is not easily broken.  I shall make the runes myself upon returning to Copperpot Hold.  You shall ever be welcomed at my hearth, and within the Halls of Copperpot Hold, as a friend."  

Fargrim lowers his head for a moment in silence, looking down at the scattered remains of the heroes of Copperpot Hold.

"We must put rest the remains of these heroes once again, releasing their souls from this unnatural disgrace.  The proper prayers and rituals must be spoken upon their graves.  But, these can wait a little longer while we find and deal with the others," looking towards the farmhouse, he continues, "it looks like we may not have to go far.  Rest a moment my friends, and re-catch your breath.  Then let us end this ugly business."

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Fargrim spends two healing surges, giving him back 14  hit points, and bringing his hit point total to 28/31.  He's spent a total of three healing surges today.

OOC: I will be back to update this more on Monday!

Hopefully I was clear, there is a quest here to defeat the 12 animated dwarf skeletons and return them to their burial ground. You've downed 5. When you get to the 12th one, you will each get a 150 xp bonus.

After our official 5 minute rest, Ridcully will stealth ahead a bit and check out the outside of the house, searching ambushes or other potential dangers.

Stealth roll: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1980355/

Ridcully slips into the shadows as you all bind your wounds and catch your breaths. It kind of amazes you how he has the ability to disappear like that.. one moment you see him dart beneath a scraggly section of hedge, and then he's gone...


Meanwhile, just to Ridcully:

You sneak up and circle the old farmhouse, and note that the structure is in pretty good shape- two stories, built in the style of the humans here for human-sized occupants. It needs repair in a few places- the ceramic-tile roof has had shingles blown off, and a set of shutters are blasted loose on the first floor. But it would be a decent place to shelter in. When you circle around to the backyard you find the place encircled in a low stone wall, dilapidated and crumbling like the one in the orchard.

Ridcully is shocked to see the ghostly form of a little girl (not much taller than you..). She is wearing a faded red dress and holding a ragged doll, whispering to it. The air is extremely cold around her, and the halfling dares not get any closer without alerting her. Her entire form seems to glow slightly and yet, he can see through her- she is translucent and ghostly.

Looking up, Ridcully can see the windows are blown out and another pair of dwarven skeletons is standing motionless in an upstairs room.

Suddenly the back door creaks open and a bloated zombielike human form dressed in stained rags and oozing with necrotic filth stands in the doorway moaning mindlessly. The little-girl ghost turns and looks in his direction and then skips towards the doorway. She shimmers and fades away as she gets closer. The zombie-like creature turns and shuffles back inside, closing the door.

In Summary: at least two more dwarven skeletons, some kind of zombie-corpselike thing.. and the ghostly little girl are in the farmhouse.

Ridcully can return safely at this point.

Shroom gets visibly excited, "Farmhouse... Farmhouse... Think we'll run into some cows? I hope not... Cows." He shudders.