Funny thing, I was just thinking about Feather Fall before I read your suggestion! Varn could go with the scouting team and in the event of an ambush or whatever, everyone jumps off the cliff with feather fall! Problem solved. :)
"I trust both Aron, Anevia, and it goes without saying, Varn, Orlando and our newest found companion Othello's judgment as far as scouting goes" - Tessai adds resolute - "Come morrow, we need to move as Dame Irabeth has pointed out, and that is what we shall do. If it is possible to provide some scouting it is for the best, if not we shall move proudly as the beacon many expect us to be - let the demons know we are coming" - her eyes shine with a fierce glow.
You finish clearing the undead and rest for the night.
The next day you continue marching and you arrive at the river crossing.
You are atop a hill one quarter of a mile south-west of the bridge. You can see that a force is on the bridge and it doesn't look like the garrison Irabeth spoke of. You see what appears to be men positioned on the bridge their numbers more or less equal to your own. They have erected a barricade at the end of the bridge using some empty hay wagons, boxes, furniture and random pieces of scrap.
"As I feared the bridge was taken by the enemy. They seems to be only men and tieflings we should be able to overwhelm them in a direct assault...If we could somehow destroy the barricade our cavalry could charge across the bridge..."
"The barricades can be taken care of with a well-place explosion. They would have been expecting us anyway."
"What do you have in mind? Do you have the means to destroy the barricade?"
"I don't command any explosions myself, but would gladly joy an advance team to perhaps protect our arcane casters while they do so" - Tessai adds.
Suspicious, Orlando will borrow the Eyes of the Eagle, stealthily approach the bridge, and inspect the supports underneath it.
You scout out the bridge and see that the water level is high and the current is strong. The stone pillars that support the bridge go into the water except for those at the very edges.
"Personally, no. However, if one of our arcane-users shoot a fireball at the barricade, it will destroy most of it and set the rest on fire. If it is still standing, it would be weakened anyway so our combatants would knock it down with ease. Plus it give us the advantage of striking first."
Varn examines the bridge and barricade from the distance while he ponders Irabeth's words. After a few moments he turns to the group and proceeds to provide his suggestion on how to proceed. "I believe I can potentially blow up a portion of the barricade and set fire to whatever is not destroyed. I know of a highly destructive spell and while I do not know the specifics, I believe with the new power we were imbued with by Iomedae that I can force it. Since that day, I have felt a primal power boiling within me, seething to be released and shaped into whatever form I desire..." He trails off to a wistful smile. "It is almost intoxicating."
He turns to look at the barricade again. "I should be able to hit the mark from quite a long distance. I say we move our forces into position and I will blast the barricade and then allow our army to overrun the forces behind it. Perhaps my spell will carry enough destructive power to take out some of our enemy as well."
"Can we tell if the barricade is manned?" Orlando asked.
He looks towards the barricade with his Eyes of the Eagle.
Perception: 1d20 + 5 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 5 = 23
Adalric lets the tacticians plan while he sets up his healing connection.
So varn gets up close and fireballs the wagons twice in order to weaken the barricade and the paladins charge. They manage to break trough quickly even as a few fireballs are launched from the guard towers exploding in their ranks. They charge across the bridge quickly routing the enemy forces. You take a few loses but nothing major.
You clear out the enemy force and you find a few dozens crusader prisoners and liberate them.
Varn examined his handy work on the bridge as they approach and clean up any remaining forces. A slight smile appears on his face. "Amazing, this power. I can only hope that I live up to the expectations of the Gods."
Once the smoke clears and the battle is won, Adalric ministers to the wounded soldiers and prisoners. Once he's done all he can, he finds Varn again. "That was truly impressive, friend."
"Amazingly well done Varn my friend - your powers are impressive, to say the least" - Tessai congratulates her companion after the combat.
After the enemy forces are routed, the tiefling will address the liberated crusaders, wanting to know more about how they came to be captured, and any other information regarding what may lie ahead.
Orlando will scout ahead with the lead elements after the bridge blitz.
"Now that the bridge is secure, why don't stop on by that cave and rescue some peasants."
The prisoners were the crusaders who were in charge of guarding the bridge, once they are healed and armed they agree to join your expedition making up for the loses you have suffered so far.
You continue on making your way into the gorge.
Along the way you are engaged by a large force of Tieflings and Dretch outnumbering your three to one but your forces break trough and you make it to the temple.
You catch a glimpse of the incubus watching you from above as you approach the temple entrance. He quickly vanishes most likely going to wait for you inside.
At the temple entrance, Orlando turns to his friends and grins.
"Well then, are we ready? I would hate to be late to that incubus' funeral!"
"Always ready friend Orlando - Iomedae's hand on my shoulder wills it so" - Tessai answers with a smile, moving towards the entrance.
Varn pops himself with a charge of his Mage Armor wand, places it back into his belt, and then draws his wand of Magic Missile. "I am ready! Let us send this foul one to the Abyss where he belongs."
You enter the first room of the temple and you see a pillar of statues in the center and more statues in the corners of crusaders in armor. There is a sarcophagus here and a shrine. As you get close you notice ghouls coming in from the sides and two in the back a man and a woman begin chanting. (casting bless and bane)
Aeron and Orlando are up first.
Round 1________________Init. 16
Orlando snap shoots the man at (L,12)
for a possible cold iron piercing damage.
Then he dropped his crossbow, drew his sword and shook his cape into his left hand as he took a couple of steps to (D,13).
Rnd 1
With impossible speed, Aeron splits the defence and heads to the casters
Aeron moves up (going to k13) and strikes the female caster nearly taking her down. She is badly injured but still standing.
The female cleric steps back from Aeron casting a spell to hold him in place (hold person dc 15)
The male cleric casts a a spell causing visions of the horrors of the abyss upon all of you. (50 foot radius everyone who fails a will save becomes shaken..dc 16)
The gouls attack.
Two go after Aeron, one after Orlando and two go after Tessai.
If you hit...fort save dc 13 vs paralysis and another vs Disease.
Fail! His limbs tremble with the fear...
He just barely fended off the ghouls attack.
Adalric boldly steps forward and presents his holy symbol. "Begone, foul creatures! The Inheritor's light banishes you!"
Feeling the fears and sees that one of their is also affected, Othello casts remove fear on himself and Orlando and imbues the judgement of justice on himself.
Orlando sighed with relief when Othello washed away his fear...