The ambush was too sudden perhaps, or maybe the revolting visage of the monsters made the warriors hesitate for a moment, either way the walking dead moved to attack the intruders, their living flesh a shining beacon to draw their unholy attention.<br/><br/>Two skeletons attempted to jump the blonde shieldmaiden, but she could still defend herself with her weapon and shield ready. However, one of the undead drew her attention while another attacked low and clawed at her legs, scratching her tigh with sharp bone claws.<br/><br/>A zombie, usually slow and dumb went into a frenzy and charged forward, attempting to slam into the passionate redhead standing close to Finna. Thankfully however, the cleric could block the forceful strike in time.<br/><br/>A third skeleton tried to attack and claw at Yustissa, but even though she instinctively pulled back, the creature reached after her but somehow still couldn't make contact with her. It seemed almost unnatural that she could anticipate and dodge attacks that were meant to hit her without any real protection, but then again she was the Lady Paladin, a title as much earned as given out of respect.<br/><br/>The rest of the undead moved up to the melee, trying to reach and claw at the heroines through the space available, but thankfully only so many could get to them at once.<br/><br/>In the distraction of the sudden fight, the girls with the exception of Ashara and Hunter failed to notice the movement stirring in the webs up above...and in a few seconds hundreds of tiny little diminutive spiders started raining down around and on top of the back row of combatants, covering the girls in tiny poisonous bites!<br/><br/>Quick to retaliate, Yustissa swung her magic sword in a wide arc and slices clean through the skeleton that attacked her, causing it to collapse into a pile of broken bone, and even cleaves into the adjacent zombie that attacked the priestess of passion!<br/>"Begone fiends, let the good brothers and sisters rest in peace!" she yelled as a battle cry.<br/><br/>Turning to arts that would probably by labeled as witchcraft and heresy by the mage's academy, Aleria could feel herself exerting influence over the spirits that moved these dead bodies, becoming able to command a handful of them. However, she could tell that there was another will at work here, so she had to be careful with her commands unless she was confident enough she could override the orders given to these guardians already.<br/><br/>Perhaps due to the same reason, Ashara's prayer didn't have the desired devastating effect on the horde, though it visibly weakened some of them, mostly the skeletal undead.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Round 1, Monster's turns</div><div class="spoiler_body">Two skeletons attack Finna. One misses by a mile the other hits with a roll of 19. Finna takes 5 damage.<br/>A zombie charges at Ashara but rolls pathetically, missing her AC and still taking the penalty that charge incurs. The fourth monster to engage in melee is skeleton #3 who has trouble overcoming a protection from evil effect that is in place on the Lady Paladin, a blessing similar to the ongoing bless effect radiating from her.<br/><br/>Aleria, Bree and Hunter are now in squares of the previously hidden Spider Swarm, suffering 2 points of damage and must make a Fort DC:11 save or take 1d2 str damage, though I'll give Hunter a chance to avoid this with a reflex save made as a reaction since she passed the spot check.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Round 1, PC actions (for those who posted already)</div><div class="spoiler_body">Aleria gains control of 3 skeletons, but they count as being controlled by someone else, so if she gives conflicting orders (which she just did) she has to make a charisma roll against whoever else is controlling them. If she rolls well, the 3 skeletons will full attack on their next action against their undead buddies.<br/>Ashara's channel well...could have worked better. Still, all the undead take 1 point of damage.<br/>Yustissa power attack-cleaves into the skeleton that barely missed her, destroying it outright and seriously wounds the zombie adjacent to the cleric.<br/>Bremorel can fire her ray before she suffers anything this round, since she redied.<br/>Finna and Hunter, go ahead and post your actions.<br/></div></div>