Chocobo Tales: Jade Regent

[Cowpies77]

There are 4 human skeletons lying around on the floor of the cave here (Marked by Black X's) wearing raggedy armor. Poking one with his b*****d sword, Chad-for-Short finds that the skeletons appear to be just that. Or at least aren't rising if they're powered by evil. He pokes through the armor before declaring it worthless and losing interest.

Davros and Ryoga go up to another skeleton and poke it with similar results. The armor definitely is not of a local make though.  

[MT the Clown]

Heal +5
Knowledge +4 (Untrained)  

[Kombinant]

"Well it's not a boat but my hunch did find something..."

Knowledge (untrained) +0

"I wonder where these came from?"  

[Cowpies77]

Kimberly, Davros and Ryoga all stop and stare hard at the only person who's been traveling for recreation and has seemingly stories from all over several kingdoms.

Chad-for-Short meanwhile is busy pecking at a bug he sees crawling around. After a moment of awkward silence, he just looks around and says "What?"

"Were you gonna tell us anything about this stuff?"

"Like?"

"Where it's from would be a good start."

Chad-for-Short looks around for several long moments and says "Based on these markings, and the styles of the etchings on the armor... I can safely say that these are from..." Everyone is mildly inquisitive, so Chad-for-short gives a long pause, which ends when Davros cracks his knuckles. "Outside the cave."

"Okay, beat down time."

Flustered as Davros grabs him, the tengu shouts out "BY WHICH I MEAN IT'S TIAN MAKE!"

Davros mulls the information over, and lets the Tengu off with a hard punch to the gut that leaves Chad-for-Short doubled over and out of breath."It... was a... joke..."

"It wasn't funny is what it was, damn feather-head/"  

[Kombinant]

Ryoga scratches his head, "Can't say I've heard of Tien Make. Is it from the same place as that chest you were so excited about?"

Ryoga strolls about the cavern as the conversation progresses, looking around intently, especially in the water, to see if anything escaped their initial notice.

Perception +7  

[Cowpies77]

Kombinant

Ryoga scratches his head, "Can't say I've heard of Tien Make. Is it from the same place as that chest you were so excited about?"

Fluffing out his feathers, Chad-for-short says "Tian Xia is the name of the continent. Minkai is the name of the largest and most well known empire there. They're kinda famous for their unique swordplay. Not unique enough I don't know how to use it, but there are subtle differences between a wakizashi and a short sword. I personally prefer the latter for actual function because the metals are harder and just have more oompf to them, but there are others that swear that the finely ground edges of the wakizashi and the way the metals are forged that allow it to have unique designs of..." Stopping, Chad-for-short sees Davros and Kim's rather blank expressions, and Ryoga looking in the water, and mutters "Like trying to teach a dog to play conkers sometimes..."  

[MT the Clown]

"Anyways. History and geography was never my thing. I remember when our old governess used to sit us down to teach us stuff like that..." Sniffing Kim shakes her head. Letting out a small cough as she crouches beside a skeleton, "I don't know where Tian is, but I can tell you how this folks ended up like this." Pointing to the ribcage of one and the abdomen of another, "From the markings on the bones and the gaping rend on the armor, they had the fortune of meeting something with claws. By shape and size, I would guess it was more than one too. Now, given their current location, either these men were very lucky to have gotten this far into a monster infested cave. Or very skilled. I would bet on the latter if Chad's explanation on Tian meant anything."  

[Kombinant]

Ryoga looks up from the water when Kim begins describing the cause of death. Shrugging he kicks a loose stone into the water. "Can't have been so skilled if they died here. There's another two of the same over here in the water."

Ryoga stretches as he begins walking towards the tunnel nearest him. "Interesting as they are, there's nothing here besides them and I'm gettin' bored. Let's move on. There's a tunnel over here we haven't gone in."  

[Cowpies77]

Walking through the tunnel on the left, the party finds a skeleton in more intact armor lying next to another treasure-like chest near the middle of the room, similar to the one they saw back at the Licktoad's village. Instead of being bright red, it has a deep cherry stain with Jade markings on it.

Note: I didn't bother updating where anyone is on this map.
 

[Kombinant]

Ryoga gives the skeleton a good kick to make sure it's not getting up before moving on and searching the room, leaving the chest for Chad-for-Short to look over.

Perception +7  

[Cowpies77]

Kombinant

Ryoga gives the skeleton a good kick to make sure it's not getting up.

Approaching the chest, Ryoga stops for a second when he hears some creaking and a dank wind blows through. From deep within the skeleton's eyes, far deeper than the skull would allow, blue light slowly begins to shine as the skeleton guard rises up. Shouting in Tian, it draws out a sword out of a scabbard. The blade looks cracked and has signs of rusting forming on it, and rattles a bit from being loose in it's hilt, but Ryoga has absolutely no doubts that it's still razor sharp.
The skeleton is stands in a pose that, even after the span of time and a language barrier, is unmistakable: He's singling out Ryoga, challenging him to a duel.



Kim prepares a bomb and Davros, clearly more incensed that the skeleton warrior is focusing on Ryoga, prepares to start smashing it, but Chad-for-Short gives Kim a rather firm tug on her pants and says "We... may have a little problem back here..."

Turning around, the six placid skeletons from before have risen up, and boy do they look irked.

 

[Kombinant]

Initiative +3  

[MT the Clown]

Nudging the bird with the back of her hand a few times to get his attention, "Just you and me handsome." Giving him a wink before a mad and wicked grin spreads across her face, "I'll brown the bones, you make the stock!"  

[MT the Clown]

Initiative +3  

[Cowpies77]

Initiative:
- Skeleton Commander
- Chad-for-Short
- Kim
- Skeletons (6)
- Ryoga
- Davros

Lurching forward before and slashes at Ryoga before he's ready for it. But the ages have dulled the skill of this warrior, and as he makes a big swing down, Ryoga flinches. He can feel the blade cut the sleeve of his robe as he moves to protect his head instinctively, but more importantly, he hears the blade crack a little as it strikes the ground.
The edge is still intact, just as deadly as ever though. Davros says what both he and Ryoga are thinking: "
MEANWHILE, on the other side of the tunnel...
Chad-for-Short takes a deep, calming breath as he takes up a defensive stance and begins chanting a Tengu prayer.
"U allen die hebben vergeten te doden, vergeet uw lasten en laat ons in vrede! Bij de gratie van Alseta, IK verlost u van uw lasten!" Extending his hand out to the skeletons, four of the six seem to be repulsed by an unseen force. A couple of the ribs shatter, other bones crack, the lights in the skeletons flicker a little before returning. Even the Skeleton in front of Ryoga takes a step back upon hearing the prayer, before snapping something back in Tian...ese? I dunno.