Post by David on Oct 19, 2009 16:22:28 GMT -5
Prince Garlok Drake of Amberwood, Captain of the Watch of Furyondy contacted General Artec Artlen (also) of Amberwood, the Archer. Garlok needed help attacking a strategic orcish fortress controling the Jovian Pass, but as the young prince was at the front lines, he couldn't easily gather a strike-force of fellow adventurers. Artec, instead, contacted Zevi (also in Amberwood) as well as Mang and Saanau. Saanau aka the Violet Witch of Klarr, in turn, recruited Esmerelda, the Green Witch of Klarr. Together, the entire group met up with Captain Drake, who briefed them on the situation -- a single fortress controlled the only accessible means of entering the valley of Oakglen. If a small group of heroes could capture it, then the regular army could launch a surprise attack on the orcish garrisons in the valley, effectively crushing several huge battalions.
The fortress is old, built over a century ago when Furyondy was still plagued with internal conflict. After the orcish invasion during the Apocalypse, the forces of Iuz took command of the fort. The structure is build on the natural saddle of the hills around the valley, protected on one side by the Jovian Falls and on the other by steep, barren rock with a single, exposed path leading to the pass.
The heroes found chance on their side. The night they assembled to attack was stormy and wet. Luna was new and Celene only a sliver, unable to provide any glow through the thunderous skies. Saanau used her ioun stone to render Garlok Artec, and Zevi invisible. The three then scouted 70 or so feet ahead of the rest of the force (which also included Garlok's brass dragon companion, Timrith, the dragon's imp companion, Kepler, Saanau's cooshe familiar, Celeme, and Esmerelda's owl familiar, Drusilla, and the Green Witch's two dire wolf pups, Skögul and Róta).
Half way up the treacherous climb to the fort, the scouts encountered an ambush of 12 orcs, but all within sight of the keep. Using the storm as cover for noise and even direct sight, Garlok used his magical ring to call down an ice storm on most of the orcs while Artec, now behind the main force, shot arrows into the two survivors. Saanau again turned Garlok invisible and he and Zevi scouted the fort walls. They noted four guards. Each took one while Timrith and Saanau killed the other two. Unfortunately, one orc noted something amiss and sounded a brief alarm.
Garlok and Timrith landed inside the main courtyard and dealt with two ogres and six orcs. Zevi and Saanau came to help, just as three more ogres arrived. Artec launched deadly arrows into the fray and in a few moments all the orcs and ogres were dead. A quick search revealed that the huts were empty. Artec then tracked the majority of the traffic to the ruined keep. Inside the group quickly dispatched a pair of trolls before finding the secret entrance to the bowels of the keep.
The party battled ten skeletons and five dretch while six orcish crossbowmen (and five female orcs tasked with reloading the bows) rained quarrels into the party. Artec returned fire and quickly eliminated most of the enemy missile fire. Garlok lead a charge through the demons, followed by Mang and Zevi. That's when the type IV demon arrived. An illusionary lightning bolt nearly killed Zevi, although a second volley across the whole party had no effect. The same, unfortunately, could be said for Artec's arrows which whizzed straight through the monster. Mang, now free of his foes, charged straight at the demon, but missed. For his troubles, the dwarf's mind was psychically crushed. Blood pouring out of his ears and nose, Mang spied the REAL demon and hacked into it. The rest of the group, meanwhile, were dealing with a type III demon as well as a single dretch that had attacked Esmerelda and the wolves. Garlok and Timrith nearly killed the type III in a single sequence of blows and it chose survival over valor, disappearing. Artec and Zevi were also now clear and joined by Saanau they all charged...into the symbol of fear the type IV demon conjured! Only Mang resisted the magics, although before affected, Saanau managed to hit the demon with a Melf's acid arrow. Alone, Mang hacked into the demon, bringing it to the brink of death. It teleported away, only to have Saanau's magical acid burn away its chest and life!
Unfortunately, the fear was quite powerful and last quite some time. Esmerelda sent Drusilla to fly after Saanau while the rest of the party cowered at the base of the ladder. When the spell ended, the group decided to continue without the elf.
The party searched much of the complex, finding the sizzling body of the type IV demon as well as a few bits of treasure. When Saanau got back, the group searched another set of corridors, killing a pair of invisible orcs as well as many manes and the previously-wounded type III demon.
Later, the group was ambushed by orcish crossbow men and warriors. A glyph of warding deprived Mang of his sight and the dwarf was quickly overwhelmed. Garlok and Timrith held one flank, but another group of orcs as well as skeletons came in behind the heroes. Zevi acted as rear-guard and Artec's arrows cut down Mang's foes nearly as quickly as they arrived. Esmerelda used a pair of sleep spells to even the odds and in a few moments all the hallways were again clear. The group searched the remains of the complex, but found no other foes.
Where is the orcish witchdoctor as well as the orcish commander? Perhaps down that one last flight of stairs? Or down one of the three identical hallways (which look like jail cells) behind the secret door? The well behind the other secret door appeared clear...
Eeps were: 3678 xp each
Status:
Artec: 51 of 65
Esmerelda: 23 of 29, 1gb, CWx4, sleepx2, speak with, mirror, CSW and 9gbs left
Drusilla: 13 (full) with stoneskin
Skögul: 21 (full)
Róta: 6 of 15, 4gbs
Saanau: 50 of 53, 1 gb, MMx2, melf's, d.invis, knock, LB with stoneskin
Celeme: 12 (full) with stoneskin
Mang: 63 of 110
Zevi: 28 of 52 (all illusionary dmg!)
Garlok: 46 of 79, 1gb
Timrith: 43 of 54
The fortress is old, built over a century ago when Furyondy was still plagued with internal conflict. After the orcish invasion during the Apocalypse, the forces of Iuz took command of the fort. The structure is build on the natural saddle of the hills around the valley, protected on one side by the Jovian Falls and on the other by steep, barren rock with a single, exposed path leading to the pass.
The heroes found chance on their side. The night they assembled to attack was stormy and wet. Luna was new and Celene only a sliver, unable to provide any glow through the thunderous skies. Saanau used her ioun stone to render Garlok Artec, and Zevi invisible. The three then scouted 70 or so feet ahead of the rest of the force (which also included Garlok's brass dragon companion, Timrith, the dragon's imp companion, Kepler, Saanau's cooshe familiar, Celeme, and Esmerelda's owl familiar, Drusilla, and the Green Witch's two dire wolf pups, Skögul and Róta).
Half way up the treacherous climb to the fort, the scouts encountered an ambush of 12 orcs, but all within sight of the keep. Using the storm as cover for noise and even direct sight, Garlok used his magical ring to call down an ice storm on most of the orcs while Artec, now behind the main force, shot arrows into the two survivors. Saanau again turned Garlok invisible and he and Zevi scouted the fort walls. They noted four guards. Each took one while Timrith and Saanau killed the other two. Unfortunately, one orc noted something amiss and sounded a brief alarm.
Garlok and Timrith landed inside the main courtyard and dealt with two ogres and six orcs. Zevi and Saanau came to help, just as three more ogres arrived. Artec launched deadly arrows into the fray and in a few moments all the orcs and ogres were dead. A quick search revealed that the huts were empty. Artec then tracked the majority of the traffic to the ruined keep. Inside the group quickly dispatched a pair of trolls before finding the secret entrance to the bowels of the keep.
The party battled ten skeletons and five dretch while six orcish crossbowmen (and five female orcs tasked with reloading the bows) rained quarrels into the party. Artec returned fire and quickly eliminated most of the enemy missile fire. Garlok lead a charge through the demons, followed by Mang and Zevi. That's when the type IV demon arrived. An illusionary lightning bolt nearly killed Zevi, although a second volley across the whole party had no effect. The same, unfortunately, could be said for Artec's arrows which whizzed straight through the monster. Mang, now free of his foes, charged straight at the demon, but missed. For his troubles, the dwarf's mind was psychically crushed. Blood pouring out of his ears and nose, Mang spied the REAL demon and hacked into it. The rest of the group, meanwhile, were dealing with a type III demon as well as a single dretch that had attacked Esmerelda and the wolves. Garlok and Timrith nearly killed the type III in a single sequence of blows and it chose survival over valor, disappearing. Artec and Zevi were also now clear and joined by Saanau they all charged...into the symbol of fear the type IV demon conjured! Only Mang resisted the magics, although before affected, Saanau managed to hit the demon with a Melf's acid arrow. Alone, Mang hacked into the demon, bringing it to the brink of death. It teleported away, only to have Saanau's magical acid burn away its chest and life!
Unfortunately, the fear was quite powerful and last quite some time. Esmerelda sent Drusilla to fly after Saanau while the rest of the party cowered at the base of the ladder. When the spell ended, the group decided to continue without the elf.
The party searched much of the complex, finding the sizzling body of the type IV demon as well as a few bits of treasure. When Saanau got back, the group searched another set of corridors, killing a pair of invisible orcs as well as many manes and the previously-wounded type III demon.
Later, the group was ambushed by orcish crossbow men and warriors. A glyph of warding deprived Mang of his sight and the dwarf was quickly overwhelmed. Garlok and Timrith held one flank, but another group of orcs as well as skeletons came in behind the heroes. Zevi acted as rear-guard and Artec's arrows cut down Mang's foes nearly as quickly as they arrived. Esmerelda used a pair of sleep spells to even the odds and in a few moments all the hallways were again clear. The group searched the remains of the complex, but found no other foes.
Where is the orcish witchdoctor as well as the orcish commander? Perhaps down that one last flight of stairs? Or down one of the three identical hallways (which look like jail cells) behind the secret door? The well behind the other secret door appeared clear...
Eeps were: 3678 xp each
Status:
Artec: 51 of 65
Esmerelda: 23 of 29, 1gb, CWx4, sleepx2, speak with, mirror, CSW and 9gbs left
Drusilla: 13 (full) with stoneskin
Skögul: 21 (full)
Róta: 6 of 15, 4gbs
Saanau: 50 of 53, 1 gb, MMx2, melf's, d.invis, knock, LB with stoneskin
Celeme: 12 (full) with stoneskin
Mang: 63 of 110
Zevi: 28 of 52 (all illusionary dmg!)
Garlok: 46 of 79, 1gb
Timrith: 43 of 54
