"I'm thinking they can't tell us what happened recently.  If I recall correctly we could ask them about something they remembered while alive but they have been dead so no way to have recent memories," Uragum says.

Sylyra pauses. "Not very helpful fortunetellers. Sounds more like a history tutor." He gives a little shutter and moves toward the door. "What's next?"

"Next - we go to the door on the other side." Ola was ready to do it for some time now, and once others agreed to move on, walked to the door and opened it.

(After examination from the post 306 Perception 19 )

After exiting the room with the silent skulls, Sylyra pauses to let the others follow Ola first. He will once again bring up the rear unless Hex insists that she go last.

Hex lingers behind to let everyone move ahead but, seeing Sylyra preferring to be last in the line, she heads out before him.

OOC: There was no other door, only a passage that continued forward.

The next room past Sedrair's resting place has displays similar to those seen previously in the catacombs, but with one major difference: Where the previous displays were pleasant depictions of daily life, these are nightmares come to fruition. In one crypt, the skeletons of three very young children are posed as if they are strangling a grown man, while another portrays five people holding a skeletal man in a chair and "pouring" something from a greasy, brown vial down his throat.

Piles of dirt and rubble have been deposited around the room. The room's only visible exit lies across from you, leading to another hallway with a branching passage to the right.

Uragum takes pause, "This, this is more gruesome...  I take it this section doesn't follow your burial rites as and traditions," he says.  "Lets be cautious," he says yet he waits for someone else to take the lead.

That "someone" continued to be Ola. "Disgusting!" That was her only comment at using remains for a revolting installation. She crossed the room as fast as she could, but stopped near the passage. "Should we check it first?" If consensus was to go there - she turned to the right.

Last in, Sylyra is curious to see what the others are complaining about. Once he gets a look, he also pauses to wrinkle his nose at the tableaus of torture. He cocks his head to one side as he continues to examine the one of the children choking the adult. "What do you think the artist is trying to say with this one?" he asks, his short-lived disgust turning into curiosity. "Is this some kind of warning? A message? Worship?" He puts his fist under his chin in contemplation. "Is this vengeance? Holy retribution? Jealousy?" He pauses again and then loosely points. "You know, I assumed these were children, but what if they're just small adults? Halflings or goblins?" He looks at the others. "Can you tell the difference between a human child's and a goblin's skeleton?"

Hex frowned at the displays. "Honestly, I have no idea why they'd display the bodies like this." At Sylyra's question, Hex almost laughs. "I'm no anatomy expert but I'm pretty sure there would be a lot of differences between the skeleton of a human child and goblin."

Cassyt also blanches at the displays, stating, "These vignettes were reserved for the worst of criminals. These people likely committed mass murder or some other atrocity. That practice fell out of fashion before I was born. This area must be at least a century old."

She shudders, "It is supposed to be a form of eternal revenge, but...I wonder if these victims can truly ever be at peace."

Ola leads you down the passage, turning to the right.

Shortly ahead of you is a room littered with rubble and freshly turned earth. Sitting next to a barrel next to an opening on the far side of the wall is a kobold dozing quietly in a small wooden chair.

Ola lowered the lamp. "Another graverobber?" The creature was asleep and she talked quietly unsure if it is truly a robber or someone employed by kelemvorites and actually on a duty. "Should we get rid of ... this creature?" Cassyt did not object before but Ola wanted to make sure. 

"How bout we try talking to them first? They look harmless enough and they might even know something about the undead."

Sylyra doesn't add anything to the conversation, but tightens his grip on his staff all the same. While the others are focused on the kobold they can see, he makes sure to look for dangers that might be hidden.

Uragum moves down by it and prepared to grab it if it tries to bolt.  He whispers "ready."

"Then shake him up? Or may be hold him first and then shake?"

Uragum grabs at the little creature and attempts to hold him.  He shakes the creature, "Hey, wake up.  We have questions."

Athletics: 6 for grapple

The kobold jerks awake and, upon seeing the large form of Uragum attempting to hold him, screeches. In the doorway at his side, a half dozen zombies filter through, seemingly attracted by the noise.

Initiative:

Zombie DEX Save: 1 Damage: 4

Kobold Acrobatics: 20
Uragum Athletics: 22
Slam vs. Uragum: 22 Damage: 2
Slam vs. Uragum: 11 Damage: 7
Slam vs. Ola: 13
Slam vs. Ola: 8 Damage: 5
Slam vs. Arnald: 13

Cassyt gasps, shrinking against the entrance to the room as she calls down flame upon an approaching zombie. The kobold grabs at his dagger while squirming in Uragum's grasp, but the goliath overpowers the small creature, keeping him from running. It yips excitedly as the zombies shamble in and begin to swarm the party, rapping their decayed fists against Uragum and Ola.

Beyond the opening, you can hear raised voices and the telltale sound of swords being drawn from scabbards.

Round 1 Order:
Cassyt
Enemies
Players <=====

Placement:
Uragum is engaged in melee combat with two zombies.
Ola is engaged in melee combat with two zombies.
Arnald is engaged in melee combat with one zombie.
One other zombie remains in the opening, unable to fit through the bottleneck.

Health:
One zombie is lightly wounded.

Ola is lightly wounded.
Sylyra is lightly wounded.
Uragum is lightly wounded.

Seeing the zombie coming Arnald draws his rapier and attacks.

Hex raises her bow and shoots an arrow at one of the zombies attacking Ola. "Looks like we found who's responsible for all the undead."

Longbow Attack: 18  Damage: 10