Ioben reaches down to assist with the coffin. "I'm not waiting around for the rest of their bodies to find us. We better get out of here quickly." He prepares to move as soon as the other coffin bearers are in place. 

((Once all coffin bearers have used their action to pick up the coffin, can we still use our movement together this round?)) 

((Yes, movement can be used after all coffin bearers have picked up the coffin this round.  In future turns you can all move forward on any of the bearer's turns.))

Sandu - Baern and Ioben begin to pick the coffin up requesting your assistance.  It is your turn.

 Sandu stared aghast at the skittering disembodied hands. 'I was just standing there.' He muttered in shock.

He would have to deal with personal trauma later. Right now, it was imperative that they got away as fast as possible. Sandu's first instinct was to book it and run down the street. He ignored that and went with his second instinct: safety in numbers.

Sandu pivoted around Alder, putting himself behind the big guy to give himself a false sense of security. He grasped his staff and tried to swallow his fear. His muscles tensed up and he was ready to react at a moment's notice.

OOC: Ready an action
Trigger - if a Crawling Claw comes within 5 feet of someone,
Reaction - it gets a handful of Eldritch Blast
Attack: 19 Damage: 2
Is Bless still active? If so - Bless 2

Valerie - you watch as Sandu readies himself for the forthcoming attack.  There appears to be scratching/scraping noises coming from one of the houses further down the street.  However, the pressing threat appear to be the claws either side of the coffin.  It is your turn to act.

Seeing the monsters emerge from the shadows and her companions begin to gather around the coffin to move it. She gets to the opposite side of Sandu putting her shield up to defend against the incoming attacks. 

"Make haste! I will draw their attention until you won't be surrounded." She shouts to the rest of the party. 

Alder - Valerie has moved alongside yourself and Sandu, readying herself for any incoming attacks.  You watch as the zombified figures continue to attempt to breakdown the door to your left.  The coffin stands around 25ft behind you as you watch other members of the party rushing to pick it up and continue on.  It is your turn to act.

Alder glances between the skittering hands and the zombies battering at the doors ahead. Judging the larger creatures to be far more of a threat in his mind, he begins to move forward, growling at Valerie and Sandu as he does.

"Clear those disgusting things from the sides, protect the others. I'll see about dealing with these two and clear your path." 

He moves forward and places himself in the path of where the zombies have to go in order to get to the street from the building, readying his axe in both hands. 

(Alder moves forward and towards the zombies trying to get through the doors as far as he is able, putting himself on their most direct path towards the others. Readied attack for the first one to come into range)

Dormark picking up his side stands up. His sense of urgency driving him forward, he moves as fast of possible with the casket, sometimes almost lifting Baern off the ground as well with his strides. He moves with everyone holding the coffin past Valerie and Sandu.

Funeral March - Round #5

As the coffin is hauled along there is a loud cracking as the door in front of Alder is ripped off its hinges.  Standing in the doorway is a lady, her skin is partially decomposed and falling away from her bones, she is wearing the remnants of a mail shirt (though it does not look like it would provide any protection), her gaze falls upon Alder and she lets out a snarl.

Initiative Order

1. Crawling Claw #6 (20)
2. Baern (18)
3. Ireena (15)
4. Ioben (14)
5. Sandu (14)
6. Valerie (14)
7. Crawling Claw #4 (10)
8. Crawling Claw #5 (10)
9. Strahd Zombie #2 (10)
10. Ismark (9)
11. Alder (6)
12. Crawling Claw #2 (5)
13. Dormark (5)
14. Strahd Zombie #1 (5)
15. Crawling Claw #1 (3)

((The coffin's movement between 4 people is going to be treated as unencumbered, due to the high combined strength total.  However, it will be restricted by Baern's movement speed of 25ft - I have amended the battlemap to allow for Valerie and Sandu to move to the side, allowing the carriers to pass.)) 

One of the claws, to the immediate south of Ireena, springs forth from the barrel it was hidden within.  It charges towards Ioben, it fingers flickering at rapid speeds, as it jumps to strike it is immediately struck by Sandu's Eldritch Blast.  The claw is completely obliterated mid-air by the purple beam causing flesh and ichor to splatter everywhere.

Baern - You slip and slide across the cobbled streets with the rest of the coffin-bearers as you attempt rush the coffin through the street.  To your left a zombified woman stands in the doorway of a house looking poised to attack Alder.  It is your turn.

Moving as fast as he can with the casket on one short but strong shoulder, Baern once again touches the amulet he's been so fascinated with and asks his new patron to protect his new friends and guide their strikes to help put down this horrific evil.

Bless on Alder, Ireena, Sandu and Valerie

Ireena, feeling revitalised by Baern's bless, takes aim and shoots her hand crossbow at the claw which has burst from the crate to the south of the street.

"Dammit!" she curses as she once again levels the hand crossbow at the claw and looses another bolt.

As the second bolt goes flying through the air it pierces the claw, landing between the fore and middle fingers.

Funeral March - Round #5 - Ioben's Turn

Ioben - As far as you can tell only three claws remain behind you.  In front of you to the left appears the pressing threat of the zombified lady standing poised to attack.  It is your turn.

((I have moved the claws a little forward to show that they are on the map and within shooting distance / not obscured.))

As he moves along with the coffin crew, Ioben adjusts his grip and draws his rapier. Fending off attackers would be difficult while holding the unwiedly cargo, but it was still better than nothing. "Keep moving," he growls under his breath. The rapier sits ligtly in his hand, flicking out at the first sign of danger.

Sandu - You make way as the coffin-bearers attempt to move the coffin down the street towards the church; their footing precarious as they step over the gore-covered cobbled streets.  In front you just heard a mighty cracking of wood and saw Alder dash to face whatever threat lies ahead.  It is your turn to act.

((From where you stand you cannot see the doorway))

For the second time since he set foot in this street, Sandu felt a warm tingling going through his extremities. He was close enough to Baern to hear the dwarf utter something right before the sensation gripped him. Sandu put two and two together and figured the dwarf had something to do with emboldening his resolve. He would have a chat with Baern about it.

But that would have to wait until later. Getting away from the skittering dead hands took priority. Sandu stepped up next to Ireena. 'Guess we got promoted to rearguard.' He nervously laughed at the woman, less to reassure her and more to keep himself from running. True to word, he targeted the closest disembodied hand and let loose a magical bolt of energy: 'Pleacã!'

OOC:
- Eldritch Blast targeting the nearest hand: Bless 3 + Attack: 25 Damage: 8
EDIT: Oh for ****'s sake...

The purple Eldritch Blast beam shoots forth from Sandu's hands with immense force.  Unfortunately rather than finding its target it impacts on the stone wall above creating a large scorch-mark.

Valerie - You watch as Sandu's attack flies over the top of the claw he was targeting.  Directly in front of you Alder stands preparing to take on the coming threat from the house to the left.  It is your turn.

((Oof unlucky - max damage roll as well!  Just to clarify, Sandu have you moved to the back of the coffin?  If so, that is Ireena at the back.  Valerie is standing next to Baern (light blue).))

Seeing Alder got the left side cover, Valerie runs to the other side and readies her sword for the incoming attack. 

Hold the attack until something gets within range. 

Attack 8 Damage: 12

The remaining claw to the south of the street springs into action.  It fingers move back and forth as it 'runs' towards Ireena.  Ioben waits as the rotting hand approach choosing moment to strike.  THWAAACK - there is a wet sound as Ioben's rapier skewers it's target, killing it outright.  Ireena nods at Ioben in thanks.

Those at the front of the procession watch as a second figure appears at the doorway to the left of the street.  Letting our an anguished howl, a zombified man steps forward - he looks much like the other figures, skin rotted and bones showing in areas, tattered clothing with a symbol emblazoned on it, armour looking in a state of total disrepair.  The zombified man charges out of the doorway towards Alder.

Alder readies himself for the coming attack and lashes out at the undead fiend.  Chopping down with his battleaxe, his attack unfortunately sails wide missing his foe.  Valerie, however, steels herself and strikes out with her longsword...

 ... the longsword connects with a mighty THUNK hacking off the figures left arm.

The arm wriggles around on the floor before raising itself up.

The zombified man howls once more and lashes out with his remaining arm at Alder whilst simultaneously attempting to bite down.

Alder expertly manages to avoid the zombie's clawing hands.  Unfortunately he leaves himself open to the bite attack.  Gnashing down, the Zombie fixed its broken teeth around Alder's collar bone causing 7 piercing damage.

Meanwhile, the detached left-arm of the zombie attempts to 'leap' and grab at Valerie's thigh.

It pitifully bounces off Valerie's armour ineffectively.