The march steepens and becomes increasingly difficult. For your mother's coffin, the journey is relatively easy; it floats up the steep path on repulsorlifts.
The path of slickened stone and melting snow gives way to the staircase that winds up around the mountain. There are no guard-rails, as to have them would be a sign of weakness.
"Such a treacherous path," Einar comments. "I would hate to slip on these steps."
The funeral procession, plodding slowly as they have been doing the whole way, keeping pace with your father, ascends higher and higher on the mountain until you reach the Entrance.
The Entrance is a wide, flat outcropping that had been expanded by the Erengardians millenia ago. Stonemasons carved into the mountain, enlarging the entrance of a natural cave and hewing from the stone an incredible archway of the finest craftsmanship. From there, the cavern itself was expanded, burrowing down into the mountain, creating room for the dead that would inhabit the earthen halls.
The archway is inlaid with blood-red gems and gold-leaf. Torches burn on either side of the archway, just above the stations of the Guard.
"So the Entrance is reached," the Castellan sighs.
"What a sorrowful place," Einar says. "It should be glorious, not depressing. The champions of our world are found here."
The Castellan does not respond. He stares blankly at the archway.
Come to think of it, Melkor, something odd about the archway. It seems that the Guard stations are empty.
"Such a notion is cowardice," Einar snarls. In a single fluid motion, he draws his pistol from the holster at his hip. "Are you a coward, brother?"
It is customary of the royalty of Erengard to mark their status and familial relations by carrying matching pistols. The Esgabathian pistols, originally commissioned by the progenitor of your line, slightly resemble revolvers, fashioned from dark gray metals from the mountains and given a grip of stone. All members of the family carry one.
Six soldiers of notable skill, who put themselves between the three of you at the entrance of the Tomb. They ready their heavy blaster rifles, single-shot weapons that have a brief recharge time.
The Castellan draws his pistol, then looks to the funeral procession. The majority are unarmed or not of any great skill, so he orders them back down the stairway. Your mother's casket is left behind, hovering over the frozen ground of the Entrance outcropping.
Einar trains his pistol on the entrance. "Fire as soon as it appears..."
Einar issues orders for his men to hold their ground, orders that Mauren agrees with. Their presence helps embolden the men through successful Leadership rolls, and it definitely helps that your brother is the leading General and your father is Castellan.
Soon, the beast strides through the Archway. It is a hideous thing, a ten-foot monstrosity lacking any form of skin, mostly skeletal in appearance. Bone growths have formed a sort of exoskeleton, further supported by primitive plate armor. A surreal glow is emitted from its eye sockets, indicating perhaps some sort of implant.
It roars, a blue fire crackling in its throat as its jaw unhinges.
The most threatening part of the Creature is not his appearance, but his weapons. His arms have been severed partway through the forearm. In the place of claws are wicked, curved, and jagged blades.
The Creature, standing beneath the Archway, is 12 frames distant. It decides to advance, but before it can take a step, Einar has already fired twice. He aims for weak points in the plate and bone armor, sinking his bolts into the Creature with a 15 and a 19, for 10 damage.
Then, you fire. Your shot is not so precised and practiced as Einar's, unfortunately. You roll a 12, a hit by two, but the shot bursts harmlessly against the plate armor. 1 damage to the Creature.
The soldiers' heavy rifles fair better against punching through the Creature's armor. Two soldiers land shots of 16, doing a point of damage each, and a third lands a 19, for four damage. But now the rifles suffer their brief recharge time...
The Creature, though its plate-and-bone armor is now riddled with laserfire, does not react in the least. You're not even sure if it felt anything. It begins to advance... but pauses when a single shot glances off a softer portion of its bone armor. The Castellan rolled a 9, inflicting 2 damage.
---
BATTLE WITH THE CREATURE
Archway
Creature: 19/6
Entrance
Melkor: 0/6
Einar: 0/8
Castellan: 0/7
Soldiers x6: 0/7
---
The Creature is 10 frames distant when Einar fires again, but continues to advance even when he lands a 14 and 20, for 8 damage total. It is 9 frames distant when you are ready to fire again...
The blessings of Erengard are not with you today, Melkor. The monster advances directly into your attack, shrugging off the 5 and the 3 as your shots dissipate on its plate armor. 8 frames distant...
The Castellan is unsuccesful in his shooting as well. One soldier sends a shot fizzling past the Creature's head, missing completely. Another two are frustrated by the armor, like yourself. The next three fair better, placing their shots well for 8 damage total.
The Creature is 7 frames distant, but this time it has learned to fear Einar's wrath. It dodges his incoming double-shot, but with little success. Einar rolls 19 and 17, inflicting 8 damage as his shots actually punch into the plate armor, previously weakened by your shots.
---
BATTLE WITH THE CREATURE
Archway
Creature: 43/9
Entrance
Melkor: 0/9
Einar: 0/11
Castellan: 0/10
Soldiers x6: 0/10
---
The Creature roars in defiance, the sapphire flames gurgling in his throat as he spits up boiling tar and soot.
"Don't just annoy it!" Einar shouts at you. "KILL IT!"