Operation Hamster

A backroom of the adventurers guild has been rented out by the unknown sponser of "Operation Hampster" Along one wall if a large map of Dragonier. Several places of interest have been marked on it, showing estimated undead activity. A bookish gnome stands on a step ladder at the table drumming his fingers along the table as he waits for everybody to gather inside the room. Another older man wearing Rune styled wizard robes is studying the charts, and occasional letting out a cough and grumbling, "Madness.", "Insanity.", "How did he convince me to even do this?" while stroking his beard.

A backroom of the adventurers guild has been rented out by the unknown sponser of "Operation Hampster" Along one wall if a large map of Dragonier. Several places of interest have been marked on it, showing estimated undead activity. A bookish gnome stands on a step ladder at the table drumming his fingers along the table as he waits for everybody to gather inside the room. Another older man wearing Rune styled wizard robes is studying the charts, and occasional letting out a cough and grumbling, "Madness.", "Insanity.", "How did he convince me to even do this?" while stroking his beard.

"because you're insane." The Red haired dwarven lady says to the gnome. "But...you're a gnome. So.....What're you planning?"

Entering the room somewhat late it would seem. The Steel Masked cleric looks around, then makes his way towards a seat. He quietly cleans his gloved hands with a rag, now colored dun and crimson from old blood. "Forgive me." He says, his voice somewhat melodic, though altered by the metal mask he wears. "There were wounded from an expedition." Settling into the chair he takes a few moments to smooth his robes and glance about. "I have been requested to attend your expedition due to a rumor of undead, Ser Gnome."

"..hamster? What the heck?" replies Stena. It's been a while since she had an opportunity to take a Guild Mission, but here she is, greataxe dragged along carefully behind her as she's stopping to eyeball Sark and Melora. A shrug follows before she draws her eyes back to the gnome. "Okay, then."

Melora looks over to Sark. "Hearthguard. It's good to see you again."

The Mask turns towards Melora and the elf dips his head in greeting. "S Suilad, Sentinel. A pleasure, if you are also here our chances of success climb." He turns his attention to study Stena, giving her a nod, then back towards the Gnome and Wizard.

The gnome looks you all over and nods, "Three, that should be enough you think?" the gnome glancing over to the man at the map wall. The man turns around revealing he is an elf, a very old elf. "In my day, you would have a dozen volunteers running up to you at the chance to fight undead, going up hill in the snow!" the man lets out anouther cough and walks over to the table, "Yes it will do." The Gnome nods and looks to the group, "I am Deputy Assistant Secutary Bookkeeper for the Adventuers guild, Master Gnobert. This here is Arch-Wizard Jasper from Rune. I think the only one crazy enough to help in this operation, though I think his mind is so far gone he may not really comprehend any of this. Lucky or us, he can still cast magic, I think. So any questions or concerns before we set out?"

"What undead in particular are we to be facing?" Melora says. Blunt and to the point.

There's a shrug from the cleric. "I am not much of a planner or a military man. I trust we are not traveling too far? What are these undead threatening?" The mask swings to look at Melora when she asks her question and he nods. "Yes, probably be good to know what type."

"It's gonna have to be," replies Stegna with a laugh. "I'm not even sure what we're doing just yet. We're fighting undead in the snow? That seems pretty great in my book." She takes a moment to weigh her axe in her hand becasue of coruse she does.

Gnobert snaps his fingers, 'Excellent questions. 1. Scouts have only seen Skeletons. 2. Small village on the edge of Dragonier, Heth Territory. 3. Clear out all the undead and hostiles. 4. Signs these libability wavers." handing out documents. Which contain various guild in not responsible clauses, like "If you encounter Lich, the guild is not responsible for your death and you go knowing such an encounter is possible."

Jasper groans, "In my day adventurers just got things done, like this!" chanting magical words, and in a flash you are all teleported elsewhere...

A run down village, with about 8 different houses and one tavern. The area is clearly abandoned, and the air is still quiet, no birds or sign of fauna anywhere. The flora appears mostly dead and decaying. Jasper hobbles over to a stump and sits down on it, pulling out a crossword puzzle, "I am here to transport you, to old to go running around places like this anymore."

"Ooof" The cleric lands on his rear as he's teleported sans chair. "Well." Taking a moment to rise to his feet and brush his robes. "I suppose we are here." He tosses the liability paper he was handed off to the side dismisively. "Shall we ask someone in the villages to point us to their problem?"

"..oh good a 'transporter'," mutters Stena. She does not like this idea -- not at all. SBut she'll go along with it, of course, because that's what they pay her for.

Melora looks to the paper and tosses it to the side. "No need for that." She says as she puts her shield on her forearm and draws her axe. "Stick with me, Hearthguard."

Teleportation just has Stena vomiting loudly for a bit. When she recovers, she dabs her face with a handkerchief. "I always told mom that I was gonna throw up and she never believed me," she mutters.

Jasper speaks up, "Pickle juice mixed with a ghost pepper prevents the throwing up." then goes back to his crossword. The air stirs a little, and a feeling of being watched settles over the group.

Falling in step behind the Dwarven Paladin, Sark ties his own shield in place on his arm. Though he doesn't draw a weapon just yet. "Quiet, empty. Not a good sign." He looks back towards Stena and tilts his head. "Hold my hand on the return trip, I'll try to mitigate that." Then the mask turns to survey the town again. "If we have a return trip."

Melora says, "We will, Hearthguard." She says as she starts for the closest abode...."

"I'll try that! I've tried so many different remedies," replies Stena as she heads after Sark and Melora.

The door to the house opens after some effort and shoulder pushing it put into it. The house is a simple single room abode. sitting in the middle at a table are five skeletons. 2 are adult sized, 3 are children size. Somehow they were killed whilein middle of eating diner. The food is long since rotten away, leaving empty plates of mold. The skeletons seem to notice the party at about the same time the party notices them, and begin to move...

Melora takes a deep breath before stepping her way in.....and immediately crushes the skeleton closest to her. "Don't waste your abilities on these....They're not very strong."

The skeleton children swarm up on Melora, but fail to get past her armor.

The cleric falls back at the sight of the skeletons, especially the child sized ones. "By Althea!" He seems heedless of Melora's statement and raises his shield. The emblazoned symbol of his goddess flashing with celestial fire as is sweeps out and bursts forth in a pulse of divine energy. Turning all but one of the skeletons to dust.

Stena, of course, immediately moves up to a skeleton and lashes out with her axe, harmlessly glancing off and not even chipping bone.

'Ugh," she says, "I hate skeletons! This is my first time seeing one and I ALREADY HATE THEM."

Without hestitation, Melora hits another skeleton with her axe...smashing it. "These must've been turned during family time. Anyone hurt?"

The house is now quiet, the skeletons crumbling to dust. The wind picks up a little bit outside.

"Not other then my heart. They were children." The Cleric says quietly. "What could have the power to do this so swiftly." He leans into the home and peers about. "The tables still have the remains of food on them."

"The best mercy we can give them is to smash their bodies." Melora says to Sark. "So no one can raise them again." She then looks about. "if all of the houses are like this.....I imagine the central house is at the center of this..."

"...yeah. I expect we're gonna see plenty worse before we're done," says Stena with a sigh, her face falling for a moment. She looks towards Sark and Melora, "Just don't, you know, go all out too early. Save a little energy just in case." She's ready to follow.

Melora looks to Stena. "I haven't used any of Althea's light yet. So I should be fine." She says as she starts for the door. "Let's head to the tavern...."

The Common House is large, enough to hold dozens of people, and it clearly did! There was some kind of party, a wedding it seems like. Two skeletons stand in the middile kissing each other. Around them are 12 other skeletons in middle of clapping, each of them wearing what might of been their best clothing. The skeletons range from tall to children, including one toddle sized skeleton. a couple of dog skeletons were clearly bounding around happy. Sitting at a table to themselves are two ogre skeletons, probably visitors. As the doors open the scene holds still for a moment, but slowly all the skeletons turn to look at the adventurers, and start to move...

The newly weds charge up and swing at Stena missing, but their auras are strong with fire. When the burst of holy energy goes out from Sark, instead of turning to dust, they turn to ash with a fiery boom.

The Ogres were enjoying a drink, but as Stena comes running up they pick up some large wooden clubs and swing at Stena both missing her by a wide margin.

Once more the shield rises, the holy symbol of Althea displayed and a burst of celestial energy washes outwards burning through the various skelletons it can reach. "This is like a nightmare." Sark states as he steps back following the spell.

So, Stena is exploded on. She does not seem thrilled about that. ACtually, she flails back with the explosion and is just a bit singed. Still, she then swings at the closest skeletons -- that'd be the ogres at this point, and she is now right in their way. "Oi!"

Melora nudges her way through the door and attacks the ogre with a blue glowing axe. The axe does a lot of damage, but the ogre doesn't fall..yet.

The two skeleton dogs bound up on Sark, biting at his shield. Maybe they just want to play fetch?

Reaching out with his right hand, Sark presses his fingers to Stena's back as he intones a quiet prayer. Celestial energy leaping from his shield, to his hand to the Barbarian before him.

A skeleton gets hit with an axe! Of coiurse, axes aren't exactly /great/ at beating up skeletons, if we're honest. So Stena's blow chips some bone, cracks it here and ther, but it's not...really... doing that great.

The dogs continue to bite at Sarks shield.

Melora crushes her axe through the ogre's spine and the skeleton falls to dust. "One down." She says turning her attention to the fire skeletons.

Swinging up his shield Sark manages to stave off the two canikeltons. He sweeps his hand past his belt and announces the command word. A slim rapier seemingly growing from his hand as he tries to skewer one of the creatures and misses.

"...damn it I hate skeletons!" Stena lashes otu a second tiem, crashing her axe through the skeleton's spiune and severing it in two. Lengthwise.

PRecision, y'see. "THAT IS BETTER>"

Melora tromps her way back towards Sark and smashes one dog near him. "Keep defensive, Hearthguard. Spare your power as well."

Saved from one skeleton dog by Melora, the Masked Cleric manages to sweep his rapier down and in through the other canine. Managing to drive through an eyesocket and through the spine. Pulling back his blade as the creature re-dies. Sark shakes his head and checks his shield. "If every building is like this, we are going to be sorely tested."

The tavern goes quiet for a moment. Then the wind picks up even more, moving to a low howl. the windows shutter, the open doors start to swing widly. The ice turn icy cold and frost starts to form.

"That is possible Hearthguard. Save your channeling power for the next fight." Melora says to Sark. "This wind is kicking up after each building we defeat. Something's coming....."

There is a nod from the masked cleric. "Perhaps we will have a bit of luck and most of the others from their homes were here at this wedding?" He looks around slowly, and draws his robes close to his form. "Shall we start searching the remaining buildings? Do we need to check on our mage?"

The wind continues to pick up and get colder, words can be heard on the wind, "We... see..... you....

Melora looks to the bone dust...then towards the swirling winds. "hearthguard....get behind me. something is coming and forming...."

Melora says, "Yeah yeah....we hear you. How many more of you are there?"

"Mn? Did someone say something?" asks Stena, having been paying attention to the bones. "What's that?" she asks Melora.

As the swirling dust is pointed out, it quickly becomes clear a giant skeleton is forming from the dust of the fallen skeletons. A ghostly blue glow froms in the eyes of the skeleon as it suddenly lunges forward. If you had not noticed it things could be a lot worse. The wind whispers, 'Soon... to be more..."

Melora says, "If that's supposed to scare me...it ain't working. Prepare to be smashed, stick boy.""

Melora simply stumps her way forward and chops at the giant skeleton. However...this time she misses. "STENA! AROUND THE BACK!"

Once more the shield is raised up, the glow of celestial energy flowing outwards as it soothes away fear and helps guide the hand. "Althea stands with us, prepare to confont the damned. With her aid at our side."

The giant skeleon looks down to Melora with its glowing blue eyes and the wind whispers, "All join us..." then attempts to smash both its fists down on her. The hits miss, but the ground has visible impacts from the slams.

Wham! Stena /tries/ to get the skeleton, really she does, even as begins to dance around it slowly. Her axe is deflected easily and she just stares at it. Oh, she does not like it. Does not like it at all.

Melora cracks her axe soundly against the leg of the Skeleton. "Not THIS group you're not!" Melora yells defiantly.

The Giant Skeleton again tries to slam its fist into Melora, one of them glancing and landing into the ground next to a foot. Leaving another crack in the earth from the impact, "Your... friends first..." the skeleton turning its attention to stena.

Shifting to stay out of the way of the two warriors, Sark raises his shield and wills another burst of celestial energy to scorch the Skeleton. He ambles to the side to try and flank the creature as it centers on Melora.

Melora moves to BODY BLOCK the giant skeleton. "You have to go through ME FIRST!" And Melora tries to hit the leg of the skeleton, only to miss horribly.

It is now Giant Skeleton's turn! Stena is next!

Suddenly the Masked Cleric leans in, his right hand glowing with blue fire as the rapier vanishes to return to a belt around his waist. Pressing his hand to the Skeleton's exposed hip. "ALTHEA, aid us against this monstrosity! Help us heal this town of this curse!" As he makes contact with the skeleton there is a burst of celestial fire cracking bone. Unfortunately the creature's backswing drives the cleric back, his side torn open and bleeding as he coughs and sputters in pain.

The Giant skelton turns after swinging at Sark and swings at Melora, being off. The other hand backhands into Stena with the force of a tree trunk.

Staggered and enraged by the impact, Stena launches herslef back into the fray, blood oozing from a split lip and her nose and her face swelling up with brusiing. And then she's leapinginto the skeleton's back, tearing through its spine and severing it too in half.

It works.

She stands there, snarling.

Once the skeleton goes down, Melora runs her way over to Sark. "Don't give up on me yet hearthguard. Can you heal yourself and Stena over there?"

"Althea permiting. Assuming I haven't shat out my brain from pain." Sark says, he makes his way over towards Stena and raises his hands. Palms towards her though he does not move to touch her after her explosive rage.

The wind dies down, but doesn't quiet stop. The skeleton that turned into dust still gets blown around by the wind and starts to reform. Then suddenly it all stops, the wind dies, the warmth starts to return, and the dust starts to settle.

Melora looks about at the wind suddenly dying down. "Interesting." She then looks. "Are you okay, Stena?"

"...my head hurts," says Stena as she comes down from her enraged state. She then flops back onto her backside.

Jasper can be seen hobbling up holding a glowing blue bottle in his hands. With a pair of very angry eyes in it. "Glad I bought this along, didn't know there was a pesky Watcher here. Can't let that thing get away and report back to the evil lich dragon thing now can we? Home? Home sounds good." Chanting quickly and suddenly are all teleported back to the guild room.