Recap on what has happened:

Garus moves north 5', readies shield vs. wall. Gurlop remains on his shoulder.

SILI jumps behind Garus.

ZEIG trots off to the right, alone, away from the embankment of arrow slits (although the farthest few could still barely target him (and he'd have all sorts of cover).

JAGA stands around watching everyone else.

DAI is standing close to Garus, though I think it's safe to assume he'd at least crouch a bit behind JAGA.

MILO, by default, stays next to SILI, and in this instance behind him as he understands the general concept of SILI cowering behind a big dude with a big wall of metal.

While everyone is talking and jostling about, the source of the light moves toward the corner of the building at a steady pace all at once. Judging by the behavior of the light patterns on the walls and ground, whatever it is appears to be just around the corner.

The illumination is functionally as bright as a torch, but flickers wildly between hues of reds and yellows.

Please take no more than one round of actions. Feel free to discuss them in the OOC.

W = outer wall, 8'~ tal
. = full illumination
, = dim illumination
p = presumed location of the source of light

W,    p|      (keep, 20'~ tall)                 |
W,,....|----------------------------------------|
W,,,....,
W,,,,...,
W,,,,,,,,                        G                 Z
W,,,,,,,,                        S  J
W,,,,,,,,,                       M  D
W,,,,,,,,,,
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Timestamp updated. I forgot to do this due to the long pause. Please use the correct timestamp in your replies.

Everyone receives 1 Action Point as a reward for sticking it through the 6 month pause. See OOC thread for what you can do with these.

Light sources:

Garus's tower shield, Illuminate, 30' bright, 30' shadowy (cast at 11:15am, expires at 12:35pm)

DAI has ZEIG's hooded lantern in one hand, 30' bright, 60' shadowy

DAI has a coin in his pocket, Illuminate, probably 5' shadowy, unless its in an inside pocket of his robes, then likely nothing (you decide). (cast at 11:15am, expires at 12:35pm)


edit-
And remember that the illumination range is doubled for SILI and Garus, due to their low-light vision. (The same for gurlop/MILO, but I'll worry about them.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:00, Mon 16 Sept 2013.

DAI's eyes widen as he notices the light moving and getting closer every second. "Hmm, doesn't look like a trap- looks like a patrol." DAI glanced up at the keep's walls warily not wanting to leave the cover JAGA was providing, so he crouched down and pulled out his wand while setting ZEIG's lamp on the ground.

Realizing almost for the first time what day it was, DAI slips off his Karin Crystal Necklace and puts it in the same pocket as his illuminated copper piece.

Kneeling position behind (south of) JAGA
Left hand: Wand of Lock
Right hand: Free

ZEIG's lantern: on the floor in my square
This message was last edited by the player at 19:09, Mon 16 Sept 2013.

Sili pokes Garus in the back, succeeding only in hurting his finger. "Well? Are we going or are we going to stand here and get shot full of arrows?"

"I highly suggest moving away from the very probable crossbow fortifications, especially if that is indeed a patrol."

Zeig remains where he is.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:41, Tue 17 Sept 2013.

Garus looks at SILI, then at ZEIG, then at the light, and stays put.

JAGA stands up straight expecting the worst from the wall.


The flickering light continues to approach, increasing in brightness, until a humanoid figure wreathed in flames steps around the corner. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust before you can fully realize what exactly you are seeing.

A skull is sticking out of the top of a set of ornate spiked full-plate armor, out from the gaps of which pours spouting and dancing flames of yellow and red, especially around the opening for its neck, which is only a spinal column. Despite all of the fire, the pits of its two eye sockets are completely dark, as if they went off into some infinite deepness.

In one gauntlet it holds a curved and ornate falchion. Its other hand is raised up, palm facing you. SILI probably auto-succeeds and recognizes this as a standard drow mannerism: open hostility restrained by the intent for a chance for introductions.

It also has a sheath on its side holding some kind of sword, and a buckler on one arm. There is a metal chain holding several metal throwing axes within easy reach wrapped around its armor.

If any one of you would like to roll initiative, you can. If you simply wish to wait and see what happens, you can. Let me know in the OOC thread or say it in character.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:42, Wed 18 Sept 2013.

Zeig freezes, waiting to see what the others do and wishing they were much closer to him right now.

Just to be thorough:

S = flaming skeleton in full plate
W = outer wall, 8'~ tall


W,     |      (keep, 20'~ tall)                 |
W      |----------------------------------------|
W     S
W
W                                G                 Z
W                                S  J
W                                M  D
W
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

There's three main light sources: Garus's shield, the square DAI is in with a lantern, and the skeleton itself. Pretty much the entire field of view has at least dim illumination. For those of you with low-light vision, it may as well be daytime.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:17, Wed 18 Sept 2013.

Sili stands up from hiding behind Garus and bows (or a drow equivalent) before speaking as formally as he could, [Language unknown: Mo M tic manll heiech il intithear-introm Eewialne Lanediac? M ilev k Hileunenesul. A io we nock el ureourion avene lefor somresore.]

The skeleton's hand drops to his side before it speaks back toward SILI in a cold and hollow voice of varying pitches, [Language unknown: "Day vir fooul iewil ionca oul ichvirmen lader, romonsoutcomnde?"]

Sili, still bowed, continues his dialogue with the scary burning skeleton. [Language unknown: Be everedall et u dilaof t isssnt. St eveklliewi usout thuartted eauar al amestikor st tead.]

The skeleton's voice remains, as far as anyone can tell, emotionless, though it pauses and hisses or crackles a bit between two words when speaking. [Language unknown: "Oreencill hismanverainine... re wahate..?"]

Sili straightens and answers, [Language unknown: Li thugh n p stile, dietta o wilomeder ie ousstiver stiureany, isieat el eau venousvor. Le ou riek anyionain, u nt di pllipo llngen intratder thwael k ingei ad. Ee trpr diledi ce.]

GM edit-
Adding in skill check from OOC:
05:49, Sun 22 Sept: SILI rolled 28 using 1d20+11 with rolls of 17. Bluff.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:56, Tue 24 Sept 2013.

More hollow and ephemeral words slide out from the skull, [Language unknown: "U hatth wil meaiul pl ithestantcon heprweckecfoiofi bedimo enc k ilpo?"] The skeleton's mouth drops open and undulates with some crackling noises.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:57, Tue 24 Sept 2013.

DAI couldn't really make heads or tails of this, perhaps he'd have to buckle down and learn Drow sooner or later. For now, he tried keeping things short and sweet. He whispered. "Psst, SILI... how's it looking?"

Sili says, out the side of his mouth, "Apparently very well, considering he isn't shoving his flaming phalanges through your sternum. I'm working here."

He shrugs, embarrased at the skeleton's tone before answering, [Language unknown: "Ac ereateugh ni tichasund set m art ee eliewh, vir whfi He dayndelat sahe anosulektr ntili ndesanles he be earainticder ichwa tiil he k ereromnte."]
This message was last edited by the player at 00:46, Wed 25 Sept 2013.

The skull and spinal column sticking out of the armor stiffens. It mumbles to itself, if a flaming skeleton with a disembodied voice could do such a thing, [Language unknown: "Ul. Antardame..."] Then it speaks quite clearly and loudly, [Language unknown: "Mi rom, ainectearsetevearetin, moei ho artee somvenave."]

The skeleton spins the quite-large falchion half-around in one hand, then stares at the party motionless. Such a flourish is easily noticed as a threatening action.

Sili turns back to the party. "Ah. He said to leave and not return. I'm inclined to agree with him."

"Is that an option we have? Do we even know if what we seek is here or not?"

The skeleton's mouth slams shut with a strangely-loud *Ccht'k*. It begins rising its falchion to be held with both hands.

It is quite clear that any action other than leaving immediately will result in the beginning of hostility.

DAI slowly bent down to retrieve ZEIG's lantern then began backing away with his hands raised. They could discuss what just happened and how to deal with it away from this thing.

Sili bows as he backs up. [Language unknown: Anil trwihi t Sa anna traaveichart thaardwhi. Son wil ul mandaythu iswas.]

As you guys leave toward the east, do you go south out of the gate, continue east directly away from the keep but toward the manor house, or some other direction such as pulling out shovels and beginning to dig furiously?

ZEIG is leading the charge away from this thing simply by virtue of being the furthest away initially. Garus is bringing up the rear because of his movement speed and starting the closest.

Zeig wastes no time, heading east and south out of the gate. He glances back periodically to see if others are following, including the skeleton. Perhaps especially the skeleton.

The party makes its way out of the gate in the 8' tall stone wall through which they entered just a few minutes ago and 45' or so back into the darkness. Garus brings up the rear clanking loudly in his armor.

The source of the light that the party now understands fairly well fades as it likely enters a structure a moment later. No hail of arrows follows the party during their skillfully executed run-away maneuver.

Everyone gains 150 Experience Points for meeting... that thing... and avoiding an encounter.

Ball back in your court. Ask if you have any questions.