Luthok, you look at the girl and study her for a second. She was just trying to murder you with zombies, so you might feel skeptical about not killing her. However, something about her face as it is now, more human as she shows a pained expression, that jogs your memory... You think for a moment that you might know her from somewhere, but in your old age, you can't be sure until you're done fighting for your life. Memory takes time these days!

"WOULD YOU STOP FLAILING ABOUT, WE ARE TRYING TO HELP,  UNGRATEFUL BRAT!" Luthoks face is red with frustration, some of it based in sassy skeletal hands and some of it in him just having a bad day. He turns his hand toward the girl and tightens his fingers into a fist.

Action: Cast: Hold Person Save DC: 12 wis

Dyoken moves around the girl, still in his rage, but now a smoldering quiet anger. He steps out of the girls reach, and Recklessly stabs at the shadowed figures

Dagger: 21 for 8 piercing.
Sword: 22 for 5 piercing.
'Sneak': 3

He drops the dagger and picks up the lantern, hand, and arm (or just the lantern if it isn't held all too firmly =P) and carries it toward the girl.

Merrick sees his companions attacking the shadows and decides to join in. "Good idea!"

With rakish audacity, Merrick runs forth to challenge one of the shadows (attacks one of the shadows that is not near the others). He stabs with his rapier where the a body would be, seeing if it takes effect. He then runs to the rubble to take cover there. 

Attack: 19 Damage: 14
Hide: 9

Muireach will deftly run towards the next shadow and take another swing, Attack: 17 Damage: 16 magic slashing.

Dyoken steps from the girl's reach, which the girl fails to punish, and causes the shadow he targeted to evaporate into thin air with a shriek. Quickly and curious, he pulls that lantern from the loose grip of the statue hand and runs back over to the gang. It's light shines more and more brightly the closer it gets to the girl. She almost hisses at it.

Luthok's spell takes hold, and he feels this happened more easily because of the latern coming nearby, but he isn't sure. The girl closes her eyes tightly as her body thrashes against the hold, but it seems she is being held in place for the time being. 

Merrick, seeing his friends attack the shadows, joins in and stabs one out of existence! It poofs away with a long whine. Merrick can see the girl's breathing become strained as the third chain dissapates.

Finally, Muireach steps forward and as he slashes toward the last shadow, he feels strangely empowered by the lantern. Calibog chimes in, speaking to him in his mind, and whispers, 'Ahh, the feeling of sunshine!' With a beautiful, golden cut from the blade, the last shadow emplodes into a shower of golden sparkles. 

At last, the battle seems finished as the mysterious girl collapses onto the ground. Now you have two unconscious girls on your hands... 

After you celebrate or thank the stars for your continued existence, you hear the old woman chime into your heads again. As she speaks, you notice the lantern pulsates with each word.

"I do not have much power left... Come to my tomb... A reward..." You all witness the lantern light slowly die out as the woman speaks until it is extinguished with her last word.

(Not initiative order, but this fight was so close to over it made more sense to let you all be heroic since Dyoken's idea to bring the lantern was a good one. Gentle reminder in case you forgot with all the murder child shenanigans: there is one last room you haven't seen yet which has a giant, fancy bird on the door frame.)

You each gain the following experience:

+ 350 for defeating the encounter.

+100 for attacking the shadows instead of killing the girl.

+50 for being badass.

Merrick gains 50 experience for getting the random baddie to get you crucial information and turn on his people.

Muireach gets 50 experience for ******* critting his damage die about 5 times in a row!!!

Luthok gains 100 experience for ******* up the old human man before he could make his exit and feel smug.

Dyoken gains 100 experience for preventing the girl from being kidnapped.

(Everyone pm me a name other than yours for who you thought was MVP in this fight! They will gain extra exp!)

Dyoken tosses a girl over each shoulder. "Did anyone see a tomb we should visit, before we bring these ladies back to Shephard's crossing?" He looks around at his bloody sweaty allies. "Are you guys gonna make it back to Shephard's Crossing?"

“Dyoken, you’re able to carry the children, yes? I don’t believe that we should leave them alone.” However, Muireach turns around to see Dyoken, “Oh, you’re on top of it I see. Excellent.”

Merrick hops up on Dyoken's shoulder. "Ooh, it's like a pony ride! This is fun."

DK carries the girls down the hall, with Merrick riding, wholly unnoticed, sitting comfortably on top of his simple pack. When he reaches the intersection he turns back toward Merrick... Then back the other way... He turns to Muireach, "Muireach, you up for scouting that hall? ... At the risk of sounding mad... The voice said something about a tomb and a reward." 

“What? You heard a voice!?” Muireach looks shocked, but after a moment, he laughs, “I kid, I heard the same. I will be happy to lead.” Muireach will scour the hall.

((Dyoken Readies an attack. If an enemy appears he will throw a girl at them.))

(Side note: no more rage today.)

Luthok shakes his head as Dyoken picks up the girls. "Let me have a quick look at the murder lass before you toss 'em over your shoulders like that you big brute." He takes out his healers kit and nods towards the ground in front of him. "Sit down so I can have a look at the crazy one. She has a lot of cuts and bruises, also she is filled with toxins right now. Won't let her bleed out when I could do something about it" He unpacks a couple of bandages, takes out his herbalism kit and takes out a mortar pestle. The dwarf takes a second and scratches his beard until he finds a suitable mushroom that he mixes with some brownish red liquid from a circular bottle. Ripping the bandages into suitable lengths and dips them into the mixture before putting them over the cuts around her unconscious body.   "That should stop the bleeding and neutralise the toxins." 


Healers kit charges: 9/10

Luthok gains an amazing 200 exp for being voted MVP!!!

Luthok as you patch up murder baby, you feel this is pretty familiar to you... Then you suddenly recall it more clearly: you've healed this girl before. It was a long time ago and she was probably only 6 or 7, but you are certain this is the same girl... Until you realize that was probably 80 years ago and the human folk don't keep as long as you do. You remember... 

(Gonna pm you Kwe!)

Luthoks eyes almost spark for a moment as he remembers his past. He doesn't say anything to his compatriots however, but just shrugs and signals for Dyoken to pick her up again. "Well, now that thats done. Lets go get that reward the strange lady voice spoke of. Yes i heard her too." He limps behind the others and every now and then takes a good look at the unconscious murder child. 

(Just realized I have an old version of this on my phone, so I could post the map anyway, yay!)

When you come to the bird embossed door, you see it is cracked ajar. Despite whatever your reactions may be, there is no one within. There are signs that it was occupied recently, but whoever had been here just moments ago seem to have left in a hurry. First you note that, in this long room, there is trash here and there. It is mostly scraps of food, charcoal, burnt wood, etc. Without having to think on it too hard, you can tell people may have been living in this room as there are several bedrolls strewn about the room. 

There are six alcoves in this room, each containing scraps of what looked like a mural painted in metallic colors on the walls. In front of each mural is a pedestal that is about as tall as Merrick. 

Near the back of the room, you see a large statue that is surrounded by candles. It is a four-armed woman, not unlike the mountain woman sculpture, and each arm carries a different weapon, but one is empty and looks like it was once grasping something. Muireach, you see that language again that is not elvish or sylvan, written at the base of the statue. You wonder if there isn't something you could do to understand what is written there.

(What weapons remain? Are they normal proportions and material?)

They are all made of stone as well, but you see she has:

A Dagger

A Curved Blade

An Axe

"I do hope stone weapons aren't our reward"  Dyoken flops the girls unceremoniously to either side, as he starts to rummage through the abandoned bedrolls.

Muireach will attempt to drag the tip of Calibolg along text, seeing if there’s any reaction.