Robin takes the window furthest from the door, on the second floor, overlooking the lake. Sneak down and shoot. Simple as.
Flickering light filters through the observatory's only windows, along the tower's second and third floors.
Tanith scratches his head and looks back toward the party with a shrug. "Maybe he's not home."
The big man knocks again.
Two people. Why had Robin not accounted for the possibility of there being more than one person?
Robin looks over at Farrukh in panic. "Two?" He mouths, then makes a 'cut neck' gesture with his finger. "Do we kill him?" He mouths again, in reference to this 'Merrowahn'.
Farrukh signals to Robin that they should continue climbing up. He mouths (but does not speak).
We'll come back for this stuff later. Don't worry about second guy, he's going down to deal with Tanith I think.
And points upward before beginning to climb again.
Robin stares at Farrukh. What the heck is this man trying to say? He gets the idea when his partner continues to climb. Taking one last look at the expensive items that littered the room, Robin moans and climbs.
Carina fidgets nervously. "So... what should I do if this goes badly?" She asks Astraden & Tanith.
Out of the uppermost set of windows flies an owl on Robin's side. Spotting Robin instantly, it starts hooting shrilly. It swoops in at the hunter, trying to make him lose his footing.
Robin swats at the owl menacingly, and successfully keeps a hold.
Robin draws his sword and swings it wildly.
As Robin stabs with the blade, it seems to heat up slightly. It slices through the owl's side, and the ugly creature drops out of the sky.
"Merrowahn!" howls someone from above. Even those at the door hear this.
The door has yet to open for Tanith. He notices a worn sign nearby.
NO
SCLI ITO S
Robin closes his eyes and sighs. "Bugger."
"Uh oh."
Carina steps forward and tugs on the door handle.
"I think we're busted. Let's get in there and get this done!"
Hearing the scream, Tanith grins at his companions. "Sounds like he's home after all. Back up Red."
The big man squares off with the obstruction, lowers himself into a linebacker's stance, and then slams a brawny shoulder into the door.
The massive moon-face doors hold against Carina's efforts. It will require guile, cunning and specialized training to get past this lock.
Or, since Farrukh is gone, it might require the Universal Key. Fortunately, Tanith is quick to oblige. He rams the door with all his might, and it bursts open.
Furniture fragments, smashed planks, broken glass, now parts of a broken lock, and other detritus cram this large antechamber.
At the west end of the room, several upended tables from a crude barricade. Closed doors mark the north and west walls.
Tanith notices four skeletons lurking behind the tables. These skeletons clutch crossbows and are acting very much alive as they aim those crossbows at Tanith.
The skeletons fire.
Carina backs away... and rams her shoulder into the door at the same time as Tanith.
Unfortunately, she rams her shoulder into the door's hinges. Ow.
She pulls back, nursing a nasty bruise.
Carina notes that while most of the skeletons are rotted, the third one appears to be rather fresh.
"Looks like he's been busy!" She says as she lobs an explosive vial at the two to the south, hoping to hit the northernmost one.
"Right!" Robin mutters quietly, and continues to climb to the highest window. Within seconds he scrambles in, raises his sword, and looks for the enemy within.
Without even having a moment to bask in celebration of his mighty achievement, Tanith grunts in pain as a bolt slams into the meat of his brawny shoulder. The big man advances, hefts his poleaxe, and cleaves into the nearest of the skeletons.
Tanith hacks through the middle of the skeleton's torso. Its upper half lands with a clattering on the ground.
"Right!" Robin mutters quietly, and continues to climb to the highest window. Within seconds he scrambles in, raises his sword, and looks for the enemy within.
[dice=(Perception)]1d20+7
A single chamber dominates the observatory's entire upper floor. Light filters through the wide slit in the roof, bathing the center of the room in illumination. Four large mirrors set along the outside wall reflect bright beams into the direct center of the room, a recessed operating theater accessible via two short sets of stairs.
The beams specifically target a blue-feathered and -skinned owlbear splayed out upon an operating table, its chest completely opened and pinned back against the table with long metal needles.
Two long shelves cluttered with piles of papers, rotting organs, and instruments comprise the east and west extent of the operating theater, and are only a few inches lower than the chamber's outer floor.
Six metal-and-glass tanks, each easily large enough to hold a human, flank the short stairs leading to the operating theater. Each tank is full of yellow liquid streaked with rust. Indistinct, vaguely human silhouettes bob silently in the soupy fluid.
Filge stands beside the owlbear, looking stunned at Robin's arrival. A 5-foot tall completely rotted human skeleton stands behind him.
"I don't really know if I'm supposed to actually kill you." Robin admits hesitantly. "Shall we just see what happens?"
Robin channels the spirit of a bull. Because, well, why not?
Robin summons the appropriate amount of wrath to attack again.
Farrukh climbs up as well.
[dice=Stealth]1d20+6
[dice=Perception]1d20+6
Robin slips in and stabs Filge in the back. The shortsword again strikes with surprising ease, and Filge lets out a scream of pain.
Farrukh slips in while the man is distracted by Robin and takes a slash at him as well.
1d20+6
Carina notes that while most of the skeletons are rotted, the third one appears to be rather fresh."Looks like he's been busy!" She says as she lobs an explosive vial at the two to the south, hoping to hit the northernmost one.
1d20+5
1d6+4
The bomb clips the top of the table and goes widely off-course.
The bomb lands right in front of Tanith.
The skeletons are nimble, and take minimal damage.
Meanwhile, in Filge's Operating Theater...
Farrukh slices Filge's ankle once (missing the second time). Filge shrieks. "Get back!"
Seeing the skeletons facing off with Tanith in the room, Cuetzpalli rushes in whistling for Spiny to follow him. He moves up to one of the tables and grabs it, trying to fling it out of the way so Spiny can get to work.
______________________________________
The old table is cast aside and breaks apart against the wall.
Spiny steps up...
Astraden draws her blade, dodging up behind the table with Tanith. She looks at the skullthugs and grasps her mask, releasing another wave of harsh, unrestrained positive energy.
Spiny bites at the nearest skeleton.
The skeleton's cracked leather armor absorbs the dinosaur's attack, and Spiny comes away with a mouthful of stale, poorly-cured cowhide.
The skeletons shudder, though only one seems especially affected. They grab the scimitars and start hacking, not dropping the crossbows.
Tanith hisses in pain as the skeleton's sword carves a deep gash across the thickest part of his brawny forearm. The big Kordite follows Cuetzpalli's example and kicks the obstructing table over before bringing his poleaxe to bear again.
"AH! SPINY!" the Olman warrior cries, stepping forward. He levels a powerful two handed blow at the undead in front of him.
Spiny screetches and goes berzerk on the skeleton as well.
____________________________
Astraden keeps hold of her mask, and waves of life energy continue to radiate from it. She also concentrates, begins to shimmer, and, before anyone can look twice, splits into two identical versions of herself.
Filge snarls, backing away. "You pathetic little..arise, my beautiful monstrosities! Defend your boss!"
The skeleton follows him. As he withdraws, the tanks begin to shake. Creatures burst forth from the four tanks, grabbing pipes wrenched from their glass and metal prisons.
Two of the undead are lizard-like humanoids, around whom a faint stench beyond that of the grave lingers. Another is a looming, hairy goblinoid with sharp teeth and mean glowing eyes.
The last tank actually held two creatures—two little goblin skeletons wreathed in fire.
The skeletons shudder, though still seeming scarcely harmed.
Between Astraden's unyielding god and the ferocity of the dinosaur, the southernmost skeleton is unable to dodge in time. It looks down, finding its ribcage crushed in Spiny's jaws.
Tanith kicks the table over and hacks the skeleton before him to pieces.
Only one skeleton remains, but it shows no signs of fear. Not that it would. It raises its scimitar to hit Spiny again.