Almeric salutes the undead soldiers, in a gesture of mock respect. Falling back into the corridor beside Ori, a change of tactics is required to draw out these mindless guards.

"Simple shadows of former warriors, here to keep this room safe for worshipers. We should take a different tactic. Rear Ranks, prepare to loose missile weapons. Front Rank, kneel!" There is a short pause while the Retinue prepare themselves .

"LOOSE!"

As soon as the volley passes overhead, Almeric springs up and prepares to receive the charge!

Held Action, thump Skellies, see previous toll.

Thatch sighs and brushes a curl of hair back out of his eyesight as he moves up next to Cainneach in the back line. “When is the last time we fought something that was not already dead?” Still, he raised his shortbow and readied an arrow at Sir Almeric’s command, ready for the skeletons to enter the hallway.

Tana steps back with a hand on Salt's scruff, tensing in preparation for battle. Hovering a few steps in front of him, her palms begin to spark with unnatural light.

Quote from LAXGunner >>

Thatch sighs and brushes a curl of hair back out of his eyesight as he moves up next to Cainneach in the back line. “When is the last time we fought something that was not already dead?” Still, he raised his shortbow and readied an arrow at Sir Almeric’s command, ready for the skeletons to enter the hallway.

Cainneach chuckles grimly.  "Aye, that's a very good question.  Seems as though the dead outnumber the living in large swaths of this country.  Guess it's up to us to even it back out."  He turns his attention to their foes, aims carefully at the nearest of the undead sentinels, and looses an arrow.

Cainneach: Longbow - Attack vs. Skeleton #1: 16, damage (piercing): 10

The skeletons form into two ranks as everyone withdraws from the room and begin marching towards the door when the lead one is struck by an arrow.  This aggressive action seems to change the dead from rigid toy soldiers into aggressive skirmishers.

( The skeletons will charge forward but with Almeric and ( One other) blocking the doorway will be unable to get past. Only four skeletons can engage at once and the only ones they can hit are the two at the door.

( Roll Initiative- If you beat the skeletons initiative of 10 then post your action.)

Initiative = 13

Almeric is mentally prepared for the charge, and this comes as NO surprise to him. As Cairneach's arrow flies straight and true above him, he leaps to his feet.

Bonus Action: Cast Shield of Faith (increase to AC 21)

A shimmering aura surrounds Sir Almeric, with his shield at the ready, the Capellar swings the sword in an upward stroke at the nearest Skeleton.

Attack with Longsword = 12 (if this is a miss, I can add +3 (15 to hit) with Fortune from the Many) Damage = 9 (Holy) Slash

Cainneach: Initiative 19

Cainneach quickly grabs another arrow, nocks it, aims at either the skeleton he previously struck, if Almeric hasn't felled it, or at the next to approach.  He exhales slowly, then looses the arrow.

Longbow - Attack vs. Skeleton #1 or #2: 18, damage (piercing): 11

Ori's initiative: 13

Assuming Ori is the one standing to block the hall with Almeric.

"Don't the dead know how to stay dead! Come here and I'll show ya how." (Bonus Action: Rage)

The first Skelton that run in front of Ori he will swing at:

Attack: 26 Damage: 7 bludgeoning plus 4 piercing damage.

Quote from Engineered_Beard >>

Assuming Ori is the one standing to block the hall with Almeric.

"Don't the dead know how to stay dead! Come here and I'll show ya how." (Bonus Action: Rage)

The first Skelton that run in front of Ori he will swing at:

Attack: 25 Damage: 5 bludgeoning plus 2 piercing damage.

 Plus 2 rage bonus so 9 damage total or 14 if vulnerable to bludgeoning 

Thatch initiative: 21.

.

As Cainneach looses his first arrow, Thatch lets his own fly, aiming toward the same skeleton and quickly grabs another arrow from his quiver.

Attack: 25 Damage: 10.

.

Famh's initiative 13

As Famh has her sling readied, she presumes she is part of the rear rank referred to by Sir Almeric a moment ago.  Since her weapon requires a clear circle of space around her to swing, she could not fire sooner without impeding Cainneach and any others who might be wielding bows.  Now the skeletons have come forward far enough that she can stay back out of the space he needs to draw and still loose a stone herself at the same skeleton he is targeting.  If that fashion model for the Third Horseman* has already fallen, she will sling at the one closest to being in striking range of another character.  She draws in a deep breath as she releases the leather pocket of her sling, calling on the instincts of her faerie ancestors who fought with just such weapons back when this tower was first being cauterized from the earth

===========================

BA; Tides of Chaos for adv

Sling attack 14; damage if successful 6

Quote from OisinmacCameron >>

This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.

As Famh has her sling readied, she presumes she is part of the rear rank referred to by Sir Almeric a moment ago.  Since her weapon requires a clear circle of space around her to swing, she could not fire sooner without impeding Cainneach and any others who might be wielding bows.  Now the skeletons have come forward far enough that she can stay back out of the space he needs to draw and still loose a stone herself at the same skeleton he is targeting.  If that fashion model for the Third Horseman* has already fallen, she will sling at the one closest to being in striking range of another character.  She draws in a deep breath as she releases the leather pocket of her sling, calling on the instincts of her faerie ancestors who fought with just such weapons back when this tower was first being cauterized from the earth

===========================

BA; Tides of Chaos for adv

Sling attack 14; damage if successful 6

* 'Famine'

 (edited to fill in gap in sentence) (was about to delete old one but will leave to show it should NOT have flagged those dice)

=== edit: because when I posted the last comment about leaving the original, that original wasn't flagged, and I KNOW I haven't touched it since.  Wonky forum dice roller warning, everyone)

Tana's Initiative: 18

=========(edit)=========

"... from the earth.  As she looses her stone, she calls to Sir Almeric, "Would ye like a square of flame on the other side of the door, Sir, just short of you and Ori?  Like I used in the temple above.  We'll see if these simple shadows have the wit not to charge straight into a bonfire."  If the Capellar responds in the affirmative, she will prepare to do as she has offered next chance she gets. (held action: Create bonfire targeted as described, fire damage from spell 8)"

Four of the dead are destroyed before they can act and those following fail to get through the defenses of Almeric and Ori.  It is the work of moments for a follow up volley, some well placed blows and a sudden burst of fire to destroy the rest.

The bones move no more.

As they fall the serpentine wrist bands shimmer and transform into more of the pale serpent-things coiling each upon its pile of bones for a moment before fading into nothingness.

Ori watching the flames die down after the last one falls, starting to slow down his breath and letting some of the tension in his muscles go (ending Rage). Ori looks around the group. "Alright, call suspicious if you must, but either our time in hiatus from exploring was good for our training, or something seems strangely in our favor. Like the danger seems high and but dispatched with ease. I feel as though when the tide turns against us, it's gonna turn unexpectedly hard. Don't let these first few successes dull your edges." Realizing his might come off as scared by the start of his words, he tried to turn his concerns to be more of a warning. But he can't help but shake the feeling of a false sense of confidence.