Date: 1/25/98

Players: Kathi, JC, Thomas, Davy, Kris, Bryan, David, Jeff

Characters: DM, Rio & Glow, Beneton, Caland, Bo, Erin, Vorn, Saunder

The next round a bunch of bad guys come out from Rope End Lane and Broken Torc alley and begin to raid the wagons attempting to carry off the crates of swords. Glow comes out from under the wagon she has been using for protection and tries to make her way around towards the front of the group and Vorn to see if he needs assistance or healing after being struck by the Flame Strike last round. Unfortunatly she runs right into several of the bad guys and just barely (in her Chameleon state) stays out of melee.

Also this round Caland gets off a Lightning Bolt that takes out all of the archers on the roof of building D. Unfortunatly the building itself also takes damage as the roof collapses and catches fire.

Next round a Fireball goes off near the front of the procession that takes out A BUNCH of the bad guys. At the same time a LARGE explosion can be heard from back at the dock area. Glow, after checking to be sure SHE isn't on fire, watches as several bad guys (fortunate enough to also be out of the fireball range and who are now loaded down with crates of swords) try to run past. Maintaining her chameleon power she resolves to follow them on the chance that they try to hide themselves or the weapons somewhere in town.

By now Rio has reached Aithe keep where he lands in one of the watch towers, return to human form, and smashes the alarm bell with his club. One of the watchmen, who is quite surprised at the Druids sudden appearance, shoots at him with his loaded crossbow for a grazing blow. Rio anounces himself loudly, letting both the watchmen and those emerging from the buildings, know who he is and what he's doing here. He sees a large man coming out of the main building barking orders and questions and hops out of the tower (taking 6 points of damage from the 20 foot fall) to tell him directly what is going on. Then, without waiting for a reply, the druid takes wolf form and returns at a full run to the town.

As the rounds continue to pass Bo manages to get up on the roof of building A and begins to take out the archers. Caland and Feather have used Dimension Door to reach one of the unoccupied roofs and have been attacking with Magic Missles and other range attacks. Erin, now very near a berserk rage, continues attacking those around him. Saunder, near him, has been attacking with Hold Person spells and with physical attacks.

As Glow follows those fleeing down an alley towards Eel street she sees them join up with others who have wagons, toss the cases of swords on, and then hop on themselves as the wagons begin to leave at full speed. She watches them closely and follows as far as she can seeing them head out of town to the east at full speed. Suddenly, from behind her, a Lightning Bolt crackles down the street blasting the last of the retreating wagons. Fortunatly she was out of the way of Benetons spell and returns with the mage back to High Street.

END MELEE

The scene on High Street is not pretty. There are burned bodies of thugs and oxen scattered what seems to be everywhere, the log cart that was originally blocking our way forward is now a raging inferno that is threatening to catch even more of the town on fire, and Caland and Feather have returned from one of the buildings with the report that the townspeople have been tied up and held captive in there own homes. Some, those that resisted, have been killed.

Looking quickly among the bodies Glow finds a the badly charred form of Vorn and with a silent "Oh no..." bends down to examine him. Surprisingly he is still alive (although Glow is at a bit of a loss to understand why) and she immediatly begins tending his wounds both physically and with her Cell Adjustment ability. She is able to bring him back to consciousness within a few minutes by which time Rio has come bounding onto the scene and the others, Erin, Saunder and Bo have returned to assess the situation and attempt some damage control. Saunder is able to put out the burning buildings with a couple well placed Pyrotechnic invocations.

A few minutes later Lord Aithe comes riding into town followed by a a single wagon and only six soldiers. At his arrival the townspeople begin to show themselves and the true extent of the losses can be tallied. All in all only 18 of the 100 cases of swords were lost.

Despite the early hour Lord Aithe instructs the townsfolk to gather the injured and homeless and bring them to Aithe Keep for healing and protection. During the trip back to the keep Lord Aithe tells us (in reply to a bit of a barbed question) that the reason he was only able to come with six soldiers is that he had sent the majority of his troops of into the forest hoping to find and rescue one of the few remaining druids and his wife that he believes were captured by the evil forces. He fears for his men because they have still not returned and may have fallen into a trap.

Later that day, less than half of the original contingent of soldiers return telling of seemingly enhanced undead that were waiting for them in ambush. This news, along with the disappearance of the druid and his wife, has greatly disturbed Rio and it is now his intention to do some reconnaisance at the earliest possible moment.

END SESSION