Karikhan rushes to Kittix, and attempts to destroy the skeleton crawling after him.
“Foul death magics!” Khan shouts, an urgent edge to his voice. During combat, Khan will attempt to use his spear, unless it appears to be completely ineffective. If the spear can not damage the skeletons, he will shout to Jikhal, asking him for a more appropriate weapon.
“Son of a bitch!” Shouts John as he draws his sword. “Arrow, take out that skeleton and help me drag Kitz back!” Then, to the others: “let’s cross the bridge and man our stand through the door so that they can only come at us a few at a time!”
John will try to drag Kitz to the door, only fighting if a skeleton comes too close but not engaging them otherwise.
Dur’dan is in a rage, “Who dares disturb my brothers’ rest!”
Dur’dan will take a second to take in his surroundings and see how many the party is up against.
He says something in his native language, loud enough for those of the party paying attention to hear him, a hint of dismay in his voice. He draws his axe and charges in to battle with a mighty yell, focusing on the skeleton chasing after the lizard. If it is already taken care of, he will go after the closest target.
Round One
Arrow is the first to act, dagger suddenly in-hand as he rushes to Kittix’s side. He lashes out at the animated corpse with a snarl, burning Willpower to do so. The weapon catches a skeletal arm but leaves little more than a cut on the bone.
John is next, drawing his sword and running to the injured lizardfolk and grabbing the party member under the arms in preparation to drag him back to safety.
Hob cautiously approaches the skeleton and swipes, his sword glancing off the undead’s rusted helm.
Karikhan rushes the skeleton, leaping over Kittix and diving upon the undead like a bird of prey. He scores a blow that might kill a man but does far less to the corpse, shattering two of its ribs and sending it back to the ground.
Dur’dan circles round and slams his axe down with a bellow, the weapon chopping through the helm and skull of the creature and reducing its upper spine and shoulders to dust.
Oshro charges towards one of the other skeletons, not quite making it far enough to attack.
Kittix continues scrambling backwards, trying to use John as support to stand.
Jikhal launches a javelin over the party’s heads and at one of the animating skeletons, the weapon catching it through the shoulder and nearly reducing the left side of its body to debris.
Jonathan charges around the group alongside Oshro, again not quite making it within attack range.
The three remaining skeletons, one with a battle axe that has been badly damaged by Jikhal and the others with spear and longsword, spend the round clambering to their feet.
Round Two
Together, Arrow and John help pull Kittix back to the ledge.
Hob, Karikhan and Dur’dan run along after Oshro and Jonathan.
Oshro reaches the axe-wielding skeleton and shouts “KALAZ!” as he winds back his weapon. With a grunt he swings his axe and smashes it against the skeleton’s side, nearly toppling it over but not visibly damaging it.
Kittix squirms and shouts in his own tongue.
Jikhal arms himself with his club.
Note that for most people (including Jikhal), equipping a weapon takes a standard action (you get one standard action and one free action per turn). It just so happens that several members of the party have the Quickdraw Merit.
Jonathan reaches the axe-wielding corpse and lunges forward with his sword, severing the spine and cutting the monster in two.
The closest skeleton turns its eyeless gaze onto Jonathan and shuffles forward, sword dragging noisily across the ground. As it nears it lifts the weapon and dives forward with it, the weapon slashing through the noble’s tabard and striking the ground on the opposite side, leaving the dusty limestone tile speckled with human blood. Jonathan yells out in pain, stumbling back and lifting his shield in a desperate defense.
The final corpse shambles onward, thrusting its spear at the injured knight. Jonathan shouts in defiance and turns the attack aside with his own weapon.
Round Three
Arrow equips his bow and knocks in a round of ammunition.
John rushes off to support Jonathan.
Hob makes it to the spear-wielding skeleton and strikes with his weapon, but fails to damage the fleshless abomination.
Karikhan continues on the warpath, charging the skeletal monster with the axe and thrusting his spear with a roar. He breaks off one of the skeleton’s arms with his spear, sending the creature back a few steps.
Dur’dan joins his nephew and bullrushes the undead spearman, knocking it to the ground with his shield in a shower of bone bits and then hacking it to pieces in a flurry of punishing attacks.
Oshro attacks the final skeleton but his weapon merely rings off of the skeleton’s.
Kittix continues to curse and shout in lizardfolk.
Jikhal rushes towards the battle.
Jonathan lashes out with his sword, his weapon chopping into a crumbling breastplate but failing to penetrate.
The skeleton is unfazed, of course, and turns its attention on Karikhan, stepping forward and swiping with its spear, the rust-coated tip cutting through the flesh of the shaman’s left forearm and dragging up towards the elbow, dealing two lethal damage.
Round Four
Arrow can’t safely shoot at the last skeleton with all the party members gathered around it.
John reaches the final skeleton and dives through the group to attack it, shattering ribs and nearly breaking off its hipbone.
Hob takes another swipe, this time catching the skeleton on the leg and bringing it to its knees.
Karikhan curses in anger and kicks the skeleton to its back before plunging his spear through its skull and pinning it to the ground.
Dur’dan approaches the twitching corpse and finishes it with a blow to its neck.
Finally silence descends over the chamber. Jonathan hurls his sword and shield aside and collapses against the wall, tearing off his tabard to check his injury: It is bloody but thankfully shallow. “By Tartarus.” Panting, he closes his eyes and leans an elbow on his knee. “Damned things.” After a moment he looks to Karikhan, “Are you all right?”
Kittix’s wound is quite a bit more severe than Jon’s, but most of the party has seen worse. With rest and treatment he could live.
Karikhan’s is painful but relatively minor.
The giant shrugs in response. “I will heal,” Karikhan says. “As will you. Fortune smiles on us, this time.”
Khan approaches Kittix, but not too closely. He will not interfere with anyone who has medical training, but Khan will observe to try to learn how bad the lizardman’s wound is.
To Jikhal, Karikhan speaks in Shelic language.
Help the others with their wounds, if you are able. Our people need healthy allies.
Dur’dan will use what little he knows to help Kittix. (He has 1 SP in medicine) Since he seems to be in the worst condition.
“We should make camp here, and let the injured rest. Oshro close those doors behind us and light a fire. We need to be prepared for what lies beyond the doors on the other side of this bridge.”
John will look at Jonathan’s wound and do what he can to help.
Hob will very perfunctorily glance over the corpses for any treasure of note, and then say:
“Well, I think we know what the goblins were afraid of.” He looks down at the skeleton and says in a lower voice. “Nasty creatures…” And then cheerfully again, “Looks like we bested 'em though. Ya know, I’ved always wondered, how do you kill something that’s neither truly dead nor alive, but, I guess we answered that in a way.”
The party gathers on the ledge. Karikhan and Jonathan’s injuries are relatively minor. They are cleaned and wrapped by those with the proper skills but they will still take time to heal. Kittix’s wound is more serious and it will negatively impact his performance. He clings at Arrow dramatically, “Don’t let them bury me. Burning only. No burying!”
Oshro, unnerved by his first encounter with the undead, can’t take it. He marches towards the lizardfolk, pushing his way through the group. “You cry like a woman.” He yanks off his thick helm, tangled hair already soaked in nervous sweat. “It’s a flesh wound you yellow-bellied frog.”
“Everyone keep calm.” Jonathan tries to restore peace but the others ignore the junior nobleman.
“Soft-skin, keep barking and I toss you over the edge.” Kittix struggles to his feet.
Jikhal merely exchanges glances with Karikhan.
“Come on, then, lizard.” Oshro has his hand on his weapon now. “You’ve been no help so far, we won’t miss you now.”
It’s Arrow that calls for quiet. At first none listen, but Hob hears what the half-elf does a moment later and joins in the shouts for silence. There is a great sound of movement coming from back the way the party came, the scurrying of many feet and the gibbering of high-pitched, yapping voices. Dur’dan peers out the doorway and into the darkness beyond, eyes widening. He rushes to the door and shoulders it closed as a black-fletched arrow bounces in, snapping in half against the stone ground and tumbling over the edge and into the chasm. “Greenskins!”
Dur’dan will do his best to secure the door and then he turns to the group:
“Alright boys we we got some greenskins coming. I saw at least a dozen, probably more. We hold 'em here at the doors for as long as possible.”
“Odds are it won’t be long till we be knee deep in the buggers when we lose the ground we need to retreat to the other side of this bridge and make them come to us. Big guy (referring to Karikahn) take me shield and Oshro, when we get to the other side I want you two up front and me and the half elf will pick 'em off as the come across the bridge. You tribal guys save your spears unless its lookin real gloomy cuz chances are, you ain’t gettin 'em back. We will hold them there, on that bridge for as long as possible. If we lose ground then we must fall back further into the delve.”
“I sure as hell ain’t ye boss but its the best plan I can come up with on the spot. Anyone else have any ideas?”
“I agree with the Dwarf, but if you call me half-elf one more time you won’t like where my arrow’s wind up.” exclaimed Arrow.
Arrow walks up to Oshro “If I ever hear you disrespect my friend again it will be the last thing that you do. Now get ready or we’re all dead, rock-head!”
Dur’dan smiles in amusement and then speaks, but not to Arrow, to Oshro, “Do not embarrass the family with your threats Oshro, and do not speak of which you know nothing about.”
He then speaks to Arrow and his lizard companion, “The same goes for you, you leave keeping my people in line to ME, it is not your place to threaten my kin, and it will be a sorry mistake to think you’ll get away with it again. Now that we have all the pleasantries aside we have a small army closing in so we should get ready”
Just reminding everyone that they are supposedly having these conversations while a horde of greenskins is rushing towards them, likely fewer than a hundred yards away.
John wipes his sword and gulps. “Well, it’s been a pleasure, gentlemen.” He will stand off to the side and stab distracted goblins who attack the heavy guys in the back.
Unfortunately Dur’dan can find no way of locking or otherwise securing the door. The goblins will be coming through it, sure as Tartarus.
Karikhan looks at the narrow crossing, and imagines attempting to navigate it in single-file while engaged in combat.
To Dur’dan and the others - “Too dangerous! We must cross now, and make our stand at the other side. Use the bridge itself for defense, as your ancestors intended!”
Karikhan ignores the suggestion that he take Dur’dan’s shield (it would be impractical to use it with his two-handed spear). Karikhan begins crossing the ledge with as much haste as he safely can, and hopes the others will follow.
If the others follow him, Khan will reform with the rest of the group on the other side of the bridge. He will form the center of the line meant to prevent the greenskins from crossing. Khan is counting on his superior reach with the spear to keep himself and the others from being overwhelmed by the horde.
“Can we please stop the in-fighting and focus on not dying? Thank you!” Hob exhorts, exasperated.
John nods. “He’s right, we should cross now! Any dead goblins left on the bridge will make it harder for the others to follow.”
He follows Karikhan.
Jon needs no telling twice and immediately joins Fredrickson across the bridge, both of them with torches aloft, plunging the first ledge into shadow.
Kittix limps across the bridge behind them.
Oshro looks to Dur’dan. “Uncle?”
“They are right. Without being able to secure this door we must cross now. Go! as fast as your legs will carry you! They’ll be right behind us!”
Dur’dan will let go of the door and begin running across the bridge. If he can he will draw his bow and notch an arrow in place.
“I will not be using me shield if someone would like to borrow it, only catch is that you will be up front!” he yells to the others, laughing, as he scampers over the bridge.