DM Screen:

Rumble's arms never slow, slashing and crashing through another skeletal ribcage until it crumbles. Rushing to help Rylan, he arrives as the paladin tears his sword through his opponent's torso, letting it fall to the ground and shatter into a pile of bones. Arkun and Aldric flank the remaining creature, which parries Arkun's shillelagh - its ssword might have dug into the wood of the staff were it not for the druidic magic flowing through it. The skeleton jerks its arm backward, its sword cutting low toward Aldric, but the orc lowers his shield at the final moment to deflect the blow.

Round 3 Order:
Players <=====
Skeleton

Placement:
One skeleton remains, engaged in melee combat with Aldric and Arkun.

Health:
The skeleton fighting Rumble is lightly wounded.

Rylan is badly wounded.
Rumble is lightly wounded.

Attempting to keep his focus on the remaining skeleton in order to join the advancing members of the party, Aldric narrows his gaze and swings horizontally, aiming for its exposed ribs and spinal cord.

Attack: 13, damage: 3, DC11 Con save or prone if hit

Arkun has a determined look on his face as he swings his magically imbued staff again, swinging at the skeleton for maximal effect, coming down on the skull.  

Shillelagh : 20 to hit, for 9 points of bludgeoning damage.  

Rylan stumbles to the nearest wall and leans on it, taking the Dodge action and pumping 2 points of healing into himself by laying on hands, muttering to himself, "Damn, what a fool I am. I'm sorry my lady. Rushing headlong into battle... That is not your way. I've paid the price for it."

Aldric's battleaxe slams past the skeleton's sword and sends it sidelong to the ground. Arkun doesn't give it a chance to stand again, his shillelagh shattering its skull into a dozen pieces.

Rylan heals the worst of his wound, still looking worse for wear, but now able to move freely without extra effort. The corridor yawns into darkness past the paladin.

OOC: Each character has received 50 XP for defeating the skeleton guards.

Rylan shakes his head at the others. "I lost him. Damn my human eyes. I'm useless in the dark. Can you see where he went?"

Once the last of the skeleton's fell, so too Rumble would've if he hadn't staggered close enough to prop himself up using a nearby wall. "Not from here. I don't think. But, 'less he's gotta back way out he ain't... He ain't getting far." The earth genasi went on to breathily say, the adrenaline rush from righteous fury having finally die down again. Left to his own devices for a moment or two more, the would-be knight is able to catch his breath and flash a toothy grin at Rylan, before his expression hardens a little as he peers past the paladin into the darken tunnel.

"Unfortunately, I don't think we got much time fer sitting on on bedden rocks. Arkun? Think ya can do somethin' 'fore Rylan here, 'cause he ain't look'n so good. O-or.. wait.." Rumble frowns and looks back the way the group entered the chamber. "Where's Sylra? I could'a sworn...." He said before trailing off.

As the last skeleton falls, Aldric's head whips toward Rylan and Rumble. He marches over to the novice, leaning in close, but not in a threatening way. "We need to follow. We don't have time to rest. If we do, we run the risk of giving him time to overwhelm us." He nods toward the human. "Protect him in the rear."

The half-orc turns toward Arkun, but says loudly enough for them all — feeling someone is missing, but there isn't time to think about it now — "Let's go. Stay behind me." He begins marching into the darkness, his weapon at the ready. "I will be your shield."

OOC: Aldric is watching every shadow for more undead.

Arkun looks over to Rumble, glancing over at Rylan and his wounds.  “I can heal him, but that would take the last of my magical energies.  I prefer to save it for the time when one of us may fall.  I have no desire to have him hurt so, but our need of healing may grow worse from here.  Let me hold for now and let us follow Aldric as he asks.”  Arkun grips his staff and has a look of determination as he follows behind Aldric, motioning for Rylan to take up the rear as directed.  

Rylan nods. "Arkun has the right of it. No reason to pour our last resources to cover my folly. I'll move with caution and strike when the time is right."

The passage ahead narrows to a point where it splits around a column before linking back up, then splitting again around a sharp, jutting central wall.

Aldric looks back at Arkun and makes a gesture toward the split in the road. The half-orc points to the left, then points at the elf, and finally points to the right. He pauses just long enough for Arkun to show any signs of confusion or refusal. If he doesn't display either, Aldric continues on, taking the left and leaving Arkun to take the right to make sure nothing is missed.

Arkun nods and takes the rightward passage.

Though a touch startled at Aldric's sudden approach, Rumble quickly straightened out his posture, and braced himself for another tongue lashing. Bushy brows furrow a bit at the orders, but with a curt nod the earth genasi went on to comply to them, sparing only a few precious moments lighting the lantern. The necromancer would know they were coming. Aldric and Rylan's armor would make sure of that. So, there was little need to hamper themselves (or more accurately Rylan) pretending at being anything but what they were: lead footed but righteous souls.

Once the group reaches the split and Aldric appeared to suggest some measure of scouting the split (at least from Rumble's position in the back with Rylan), again the genasi's brow would furrow. Yet, he held his tongue, and in gesture and a glance over to the human, bid the man to halt at the split just past the column in the path and whispered, "Give'm a sec."