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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4525153" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 16 - Getting Back (Part 2)Dusk was fast approaching as the small band drew near to Winterhaven and climbed the side trail off the East Way to the village gates. As they drew near, they knew that something was wrong for the gates were already closed and several figures stood with weapons drawn on the parapet above. One of the figures, Lord Padraig, waved as they drew near and called out.“We are in peril!” he shouted. “Several villagers have disappeared and the dead of the cemetery have risen. We fear these creatures will emerge to assail the gates and drag us all away!!”“We will go to the graveyard and deal with whatever lurks there,” Thira said at once.“Then may the gods speed your way,” called back Lord Padraig and together, the five companions turned away from the village gates, taking a trail to the right around the hill and through a grove of trees to the graveyard where Deloak, Mandratan and Brother Gevarn lay. As they walked along the trail, a terrible doom fell over them all. If their companions were among those who had now risen, this would be a terrible task indeed.Out of the dusk loomed the fence wrought of iron bars that enclosed the cemetery and within, they saw that the gravestones were densely packed. Three mausoleums sat amid the markers and the soil around some graves seemed disturbed. A sickly glow pulsed from somewhere near the largest of the mausoleums. Each of the five drew weapons as they entered the graveyard and Thira called light to her staff, more for comfort, than because it was needed. Slowly they made their way along the path, noting that the tombs of their companions lay undisturbed near the gate. All was quiet and as they neared the centre of the graveyard, the five were beginning to think that a false alarm had been called. It was then that the dead burst from the soil around them and lurched to the attack.Two skeletons lurched at Erlmoor from behind and stabbed at him with old, rust-covered swords while another blocked the path in front of Dulvarna. From the largest mausoleum burst two dogs with rotten, torn flesh and rabid jaws. One darted past the skeleton in front of Dulvarna and leapt at the woman. Dulvarna twisted aside and swatted it to the floor with her elbow. She stabbed down at it but the creature rolled away and her blade only nicked its foul flesh. Erlmoor turned and lashed out with his sword, smashing one skeleton apart with one blow but more were coming. One lurched past Erlmoor and stabbed at Thira. The tiefling leapt back and leveled her staff  but still more came on. One stabbed Erlmoor in the leg but as it did so, Kel’s voice rose in prayer and she held forth the fiendish foot which now bore Lolth’s symbol of a spider with the head of a drow. Pale blue light seared out from the dark elf and struck the undead hound and the skeleton beside it. The skeleton burst apart into bones and dust while the hound was driven back, away from Dulvarna. Lavren twisted around and lashed out with his wand, sending crackling black fire towards one skeleton. It seared past his foe and he cursed the undead creature in elven, promising it a worse fate with his next spell. Arrows began striking the ground and clattering off the mausoleum next to the group then as more skeletons pulled forth bows instead of the swords they all carried at their belts. An arrow drove into Kel’s shoulder from behind and she cried out, turning on the spot to seek out her attacker. There, standing amongst the undead, was an elf woman with shoulder length, brown hair and dark eyes. Slowly, she raised her bow for another shot and Kel wondered where she had seen the elf before.Thira retreated and leveled her staff at the skeleton that had attacked her. With an uttered phrase a blue bolt burst from its tip and seared through the skeleton, blasting it into dust and shards of bone. She turned and saw another stab its blade into Lavren’s leg while behind her, another undead hound burst from the large mausoleum to run at Kel. An arrow flew past Thira then from the bow of yet another skeleton. More arrows flew across the graveyard, thudding into the turf or clattering off stone until one struck Thira, driving into her calf. She cried out and turned to see the skeleton who had fired, standing beside the elf woman. Another pierced the tiefling’s shoulder blade and spun her around on the spot. She cried out again and with cackling laughter, the skeletons surged forward again.The undead dog rushed back at Dulvarna and this time, as she raised her arms to knock it aside, its teeth took hold and tore at her flesh. The warrior woman fell to the ground and shook the dog free but the wound was deep and was already cold as though the flesh had died. She rolled to her feet and slashed out with her blade but her wounded arm was slow and the hound darted back to evade the strength of the blow. Behind her, a skeleton blade slashed Erlmoor’s arm and the dragonborn roared his anger in response. Acid spewed from his jaws and  the two skeletons before him crumbled as the acid seared their bones. With another roar, he rushed at the elf and the skeleton archer beside her and as he expected, both retreated before his charge. The elf fired an arrow wildly and the missile flew high over Erlmoor’s head. He snarled and advanced menacingly on both foes.Kel took a step back and twisted to the side as the undead hound leapt at her, allowing it to fly past and roll to its feet beyond her. She prayed and brought her morningstar down on its back then and with a growl, the creature darted away, stricken but not beaten. Behind Kel, Lavren put away his wand and drew his newly acquired sword. He slashed out with the blade and watched with wonder as it clove through a skeleton, cutting through ribs and spine until the undead creature fell in two lifeless halves to the ground. Thira nodded her appreciation to Lavren and then turned on the spot to face the undead dogs that Dulvarna and Kel now battled. She loosed a silver bolt from her stave but the dog darted aside at the last moment and evaded the missile. The dog that Kel faced leapt at her and seized her arm, tearing at the flesh and bearing her to the ground. She shook the hound free but within a few heartbeats she felt the chilling cold that Dulvarna had felt and knew that the wound she had bee dealt was touched by the grave.Two skeletons turned their bows on Erlmoor as he advanced on the elf and one arrow drove into his right arm. He paid it no mind and continued to stride forward as the skeleton before him threw down its bow and drew forth its sword. The skeleton slashed out with the rusty blade and drew blood from Erlmoor’s left arm but once again, the hardy dragonborn paid the hurt no mind. Instead, he lashed out with his own blade only to have it parried by the rusty weapon of his foe.The hound leapt at Dulvarna again and she dodged aside, swatting its down again with her elbow and the hilt of her sword. The chill was spreading around the wound on right arm but she mustered all her strength to weave her blade before her and then strike fiercely, plunging the sword into the flank of the undead dog. The creature growled at her and twisted away., coming up on its feet and yard away from her and snarling rabidly. Beside Dulvarna, Kel swept her morningstar out at the hound she faced and struck it in the flank, knocking it sidelong. It rolled to its feet and as it did, she felt the chill spread in her own wounded limb and her morningstar drooped towards the ground for a moment as her strength waned. With a glance towards Dulvarna, the dark elf retreated then, fearing for her life and she began a prayer to Lolth.</blockquote>

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