Flint casts a knock spell, and the door flies open.  What comes out is nothing like what you expected.

A skeletal humanoid spills out into the room.  Its claw-like fingers are at least two feet long, and the knife-sharp claws appear to be able to contract and extend in length from one moment to the next.  It is about 8 feet tall and weighs about 300 pounds.  It is a skeletal creature bound in a decaying robe.

You see briefly beyond it and into the far room.

There are a number of undead creatures loping in there, apparently most of them some sort of zombie or skeleton creatures.  There may be more but you cannot tell at the moment looking past this undead monstrosity that stands in the doorway.



In the room beyond, you noticed a strange configuration and device that totally leaves you wondering if you saw what you think you saw, if the laws of gravity have stopped working, or if you have gone insane.

The door opens onto a landing at the top of a freestanding staircase. The stairs lead down to the floor of a cubical room with a radiant blue aura. The room measures
50 feet on each side and is equally tall.  In the center of the room, surmounting a stone pedestal, is a colossal machine of curious workmanship. Three enormous,
counter-balanced one-quarter arcs of tarnished brass are mounted on swivels.

The room is unsettling. Six doors exit the room. All have a strange glow about their edges, each one perched at the top of a staircase identical to your own. However, they are oriented completely wrong! Some appear to lead down into the floor. Others lead sideways into walls. One even leads up into the ceiling! Each wall has a pedestal and a torch stand like your own floor, but these, too, seem to defy gravity by standing on the walls and ceiling.


This message was lightly edited by the GM at 21:48, Tue 07 Aug 2012.

It takes all of Borimer's experience and brute nerve to keep from falling back when the undead monstrosity springs out from the door, but he rushes forward instead and slashes twice at its torso.

"I sincerely hope that is not Androlus." Kahan states with a grimace, pulling out his holy symbol and stepping forward after Borimer, invoking the holy power of his god to attempt to remove their existence from this place. Or, at the very least, to make them fall back and give them some room to work.

Harak slices twice with his scimitar.

Grizz stabs at the best with his triton.  "More of these evil things from the depths of the Land of the Dead!" he cries out, his superstitions once more taking hold.

For now, Flint steps back toward the rear of the room and lets fly magic missiles at the creature to see if they have any effect.

Chrisman takes a step back in shock.  He holds the wand of frost hesitantly, afraid he might also hurt the warriors who just stepped up to do battle.

Edmure steps back into the previous balcony room, his hand running along the wall to guide him back.  "I feel the presence of such evil!" he calls out in distress as he retreats.

Naj rushes into the melee with his two handed sword swinging down.

ROUND 1

The boneclaw fiend sees your attacks and says in a deep, demonic voice, "You will die, mortals."

It extends its claws in attack as you approach, quicker than any mortal you've seen...

One set of claws hits Grizz, piercing him through the gut.  (19 dmg.)

Another set flies out at Borimer, who deftly dodges the claws.

Kahan has pulled out his holy symbol and intones a turning chant.  The zombie creatures in the room scream out and fall into simmering ash on the floor in the far room.  (All zombies and skeletons destroyed.)

Borimer strikes out, making two great hits against the creature with Chianta.  (49 dmg.)
NEW ABILITY DISCOVERED: Chianta is +5 vs. undead.

Naj strikes out and hits the bone creature, but his attack does not seem to harm it.  (Magical weapons of +1 or greater required to harm it.)

Grizz strikes out with his trident but misses.

Harak strikes out with his scimitar, hitting the creature twice.  (19 hp dmg.)


Flint sends of magic missiles, striking the creature.  (15 hp dmg.)

The boneclaw monsters retracts its claws amidst the onslaught, preparing to strike again.

OOC: Last post here updated to include Chianta's newly discovered power: link to a message in this game
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:42, Mon 23 July 2012.

Kahan pulls out his mace, glad that the other undead in the room have been vanquished, preparing to attack the bone fiend if he can find an opening in the melee.

Seeing that his sword had no effect, Naj takes some tentative steps back, guarding against attack, and drops his sword while reaching for his longbow and magic arrows.  He lets the arrows fly.

OOC: Sorry, I forgot to mention this, but there appear to be two undead creatures left in the far room that are approaching.  They were apparently immune to Kahan's turning, but it is hard to see exactly what they are yet (i.e., I'll have to get their pictures posted tomorrow when I have time).  :)

A feral grin spreads over Borimer's face when he feels the force of magic thrumming through Chianta.  He slashes at the creatures head and torso with renewed ferocity.

Grizz stabs again at the creature, frustrated at his failed attempts last round.  His trident swirls with flourish before stabbing at the creature's face.  (Called shot to head.)