Part 3: Into the Citadel

[Zanaikin]

Epicette flies back up and channels mythic powers into her fingertips, drawing a gradual, single-file ramp of ribbon-like blackness that reaches on for 90ft down from the battlements.
(Wild Arcana: Dark Way; holds up 2,000lbs)

"Everyone who can't climb or fly, get down the ramp before your speed expires!"

( 4 more rounds of haste! )

( Epicette uses her Prehensile Hair to grab one of the unconscious POWs next action... )

[Squall255]

The crusaders look at the dead demons, look at each other, grab both POWs and run to the ramp. Two of them slide down, then the other two slide the POWs down the ramp, and finally the last two slide down. (All of the crusaders shout "WHEEE!" as they go down.)

They then pick up the POWs and make it to the outer wall, where they wait to find out where to go next.

[Sajuuk]

Cernandlon keeps his bow at the ready until he is sure that everyone will be escaping the Citadel safely, then he proceeds to climb down the wall on his own.
(I've got a 50' climb speed while hasted, so I think I can make it down 1 round easily)

[Mr_Praetorian]

Daveed, much like Cernandlon, stands guard until the rest of the party is down.

[Laharl]

Henric flies down smoothly.

[littleangryman]

Malorix takes the slide. And just barely resists the urge to join in the crusaders' excitement.

[Zanaikin]

Epicette flies after the crusaders, poking herself with her heal stick (of CMW) for 14HP as she does.

[Squall255]

The party makes it back to the outer wall as Anevia shows up on the wall. "Heard a commotion so I came as quickly as I could. Glad to see you all made it out." She has a quizical look come over her face as she sees the two prisoners and 4 crusaders. "We didn't send you any backup..." she turns to two of the guardsmen with her "Get these men something to eat" she says to one. "And you get Irabeth, Aravashnial, and Aron together in the command tent NOW. We'll need a debrief meeting asap." The two guards are gone by the time you crest the top of the wall.

Good first invasion guys. You have earned 11050xp which dings you to level 9!

[Zanaikin]

also don't forget!

PCLib.StripForGear( Prisoners )

[Squall255]

Prisoner loot:

Dwarf: 2 mwk daggers, 1 cloth tunic, 1 cloth pants, 1 right mwk plate boot, 1 left mwk gauntlet.

Barbarian: +1 Adamantine Greatsword, 1 Potion Cure Serious Wounds, +2 Hide armor, 385 gp

[Mr_Praetorian]

Daveed orders the paladins in charge of prisoners to make sure the female prisoner is double bound, and to notify him immediately when she awakens.

[Squall255]

"Yes sir" they respond as they cart her off. Anevia calls over two other paladins who finish patching up the party's wounds and escorts them to the command tent. Everyone is brought something to drink and some of the mornings meal (feel free to refuse if you'd like) It takes a few minutes for everyone to gather. Anyone want to ask for anything else, or talk to anyone before the debriefing begins?

[Squall255]

The 4 crusaders are brought into the command tent and the rest of you gather around to hear their story.

"I guess it happened about 4 months ago," one of them begins. "We were one of the border patrols watching the area between Vala's Gift and Vilareth Ford. We came across a group of 3 older looking dwarven women who seemed like they had been attacked recently. We approached them, and my memory kind of goes blank shortly after that for a day or so." The other 3 men nod their agreement at the memory loss. "My next clear memory is in a chapel to Iomedae that I hadn't been in before. We then saw a vision of Iomedae who told us we were in the recently reclaimed Icerift Castle, and that the women had led us here to help a company of dwarven crusaders led by her general Staunton Vhane. The vision faded shortly after that and we were led to meet Staunton and some of the dwarves under his command. He seemed a little gruff, but we didn't question it much. Who knows what kind of horrors he faced reclaiming this place right? So we took our turns on watch, often helping keep an eye to the north west from the balcony of the tower. Occasionally we'd keep an eye on the commoners he'd gathered to the south. We spent a lot of time with the high priestess who we now know was that succubus. The other big players that we know about in the keep are Staunton's brother, Joran, a worshiper of Drost... Dresk...," "Droskar" one of the other crusaders chimes in, "Ah right Droskar. Anyway Joran runs the forge in the basement of the keep. We went down and saw him there once or twice with some strange outsider assistants, red lizard like things. They seemed to be able to handle the fire of the forge alright though. We didn't spend much time down there, we suspect some of whatever cursed this place while it was being built still haunts the lower levels."

"We saw a vision of Iomedae one more time about 4 days ago that said that a bunch of heretics were coming to try to claim the keep for the Worldwound. We saw the demons swarming the hill to the east and readied ourselves to fight. We were assigned to keep watch over the high priestess for the week and spent most of our time the past few days helping here with prayers and enchantments for the troops." one of the other crusaders adds at the end.

"How did you find out about Icerift Castle? And we need to get back in there to warn Staunton about the Succubus." the last crusader adds at the end.

The floor is now open for questions for the crusaders.

[Zanaikin]

Epicette seemed quite satisfied by the crusaders' explanation, at least right up until the end when her calm faltered...

"Isn't Staunton Vhane that traitor who fled from Kenabres after he failed some sabotage attempt on the wardstone?" she glanced at Irabeth and then Daveed.

[Squall255]

After epicette says this, the crusaders look very confused, and more than a little concerned, with one of them blurting out a "what?"