Protectors of Golarion (Wrath of the Righteous AP)

Game Master Sensen

Darkened Tomb

Breathing heavily, Elliot breaks the magical connection with the unholy effect upon which it, to his surprise, dissipates before his will - when it didn't to his much more magically apt sister. "I... will have to thank Aravashnial later. Clearly these remedial lessons on what I've forgotten seem to be helping."

Verene gives up on her first attempt and is about to try again when Elliot takes up the challenge instead and shreds the unnatural darkness easily. "Ah, well done. I will have to remember you can cast that spell too, Elliot." She might have called on him, and not just Merixia, to do it in the first place. Whenever she can, she needs to conserve her mind's ability to manipulate the threads of information she sees. Finding she had reached the end of her capacity early the other day had been frustrating, and had left her feeling rather like a burned-out candle. Still, she has no right, of late, to complain of having too little personal power.

"It might be better not to bring up the Wardstone power to Master Aravashnial. I am afraid he may be... well, offended, or skeptical, at how easily and quickly this twist of fate has allowed us to accomplish things that wizards usually must spend years or decades learning. I could not blame him if it were so." If Verene has any further feelings about this, it is impossible to tell, for the inexpressive reptilian kobold face is a serene mask: her hard-scaled brow ridges remain unwrinkled and the corners of her lipless mouth unpursed.

Now
I think we know from this post that the army battle with the ghouls is over.

"The chimera is likely not the only highly dangerous monster inside Drezen," Verene agrees with Merixia. She points out somberly, "And around a fourth of our original fighting force have been killed or seriously injured in the short week since leaving Kenabres, a number that would leave most armies unable to fight on."

She gives a little shake of her head, seeming to shake off the grim mood. "But this, today, seems like an unalloyed victory. The tieflings holding the bridge were routed. No one died in taking the graveyard, and only two have been so injured they cannot continue. Now the ghouls' leader Turgath and the berbalang Moxsahbuul have been destroyed without further casualties. So, with all three of the original armies that were camped outside the walls when we arrived now defeated and scattered, I suppose all that remains is retaking Citadel Drezen itself." The little reptilian wizard makes an effort to crinkle her eyes and snout at Anevia, so that the scout will know she is smiling. "Not a project for today, I hope!"

Earlier...

While the others tend to the ambient magic, Thesius turns his attention to the abode and anything that may be of interest or use.

Busy with his search, Thesius' mind only makes a background note of the now talking sword.

Taking 20 gives Thesius a 47.

Now

"Indeed it does seem that we have grown by leaps and bounds for that being felt like a trifling matter, but I dare say that we did not give it much time to do anything beyond talk. Unfortunately it seems we were only able to glean information about those we were already dealing with as opposed to the threat ahead."

Before

Now

Verene is right - the ghouls have been more or less decisively defeated.

Anevia grimaces. "Well, turned around isn't really the right word, I guess, if we're counting this as the Fifth Crusade." She thinks. "Pretty sure we are, anyways. But - and I hate to say it - Mendev is very much on the back foot nowadays. The loss of the wardstone network was unexpected, as was the attack on Kenabres and other cities. Although we got hit with the worst of it, all of Mendev's suffered from this renewed attack." She shakes her head, grinning. "Anyways, you're our biggest hope so far. Once we retake Drezen and the Sword of Valor, we'll be in an even better position."

Then Anevia grins at Merixia. "I have to agree. While Desna's definitely on our side, that doesn't mean other gods won't be tempted to take you up on that challenge." She shudders. "I never want to see something like that damned chimera again. Nearly pissed myself."

Anevia nods at Verene. "Yeah. Korryn, Aron, the First Children and I are going to do a bit of a scout into the walls of the Citadel - the outer walls!" She hastens to add. "I'm not going into the thing itself. That's just begging a demon to spot me. Unless..." She looks at Verene. "You scrying in on them would definitely be a good idea. I'm sure that Irabeth'll raise it when we meet for our strategy meeting tonight."

Anevia nods at Verene. "Yeah. Korryn, Aron, the First Children and I are going to do a bit of a scout into the walls of the Citadel - the outer walls!" She hastens to add. "I'm not going into the thing itself. That's just begging a demon to spot me. Unless..." She looks at Verene. "You scrying in on them would definitely be a good idea. I'm sure that Irabeth'll raise it when we meet for our strategy meeting tonight."

Verene dips her head. "I had expected to be asked, and so I memorized the scrying spell today. It must target a creature, and there is one creature we know will almost certainly be inside the fortress." She can still close her eyes and see the face of the burly dwarf screaming in pain as his back was forced against the Wardstone. What must you be thinking, hiding inside Drezen right now, Staunton Vhane?

"But all advance warning of their movements and numbers you can bring us from a peek inside the inner walls will be valuable. My spells are a complement to your capabilities, not a replacement; it was only because of you that we were prepared for the ghoul attack last night and could repel it without much damage. I know I do not have to ask you and the other scouts to be very careful."

***

When their impromptu debriefing with Anevia is over, Verene looks around for any of the many unpleasant tasks that necessarily follow in the aftermath of any battle, and sets to working them beside the knights and mercenaries.

Merixia smacks her boyfriend on the arm- gently, since she's wearing steel gauntlets. "Oh my gods, Elliot, don't tempt fate."

Chuckling, the magus makes a plauful warding gesture towards the 'attack'. "Hey, it's true though? We've never actually failed to-"

"Just watch, there's going to be something inside the keep that beats us to a bloody pulp now. Like the chimera that nearly bit me in half."

"The chimera is likely not the only highly dangerous monster inside Drezen," Verene agrees with Merixia. She points out somberly, "And around a fourth of our original fighting force have been killed or seriously injured in the short week since leaving Kenabres, a number that would leave most armies unable to fight on."

Sombering instantly, he remembers the strange visions he'd had prior, of events where they'd been discovered prematurely in the Vescavor hive and of how the chimera's ice storm had brutally mauled the two of them - which had only been barely avoided. And then he knew with certainty that they had failed before, and it was just the Wardstone power and/or the interference of their respective gods that allowed them to live through such mistakes.

Not the mention the disastrous fight at the ballista tower immediately following boasts that the five of them could perhaps take down a small army by themselves. He had objected to that, and he'd done okay where it felt others had been stumbling through it. That had to be some sort of divine displeasure making itself known.

Still:

"You're right. Sorry, I was just happy we did so well thusfar and I don't want to sound arrogant or make light of our losses," He turns from his sister to his girlfriend - the two most improtant woman in his life with his mother killed recently. ""But I'd never let anything happen to you if I could at all help it. No matter how many chimera's - chimerae?- I'd have to behead. Um, behead thrice, that is," He promises, then throws a quick, pleading look towards the heavens that seems so say: 'please don't? It's very unpleasant. I had to bathe for hours.' He could be expressive like that when he wanted to.

When the topic shifts towards scouting, he nods. "I have a bit of fight left in me for the day, I think. Should I -we?- go with the scouts to protect them? Full disclosure though, I am not good at sneaking around for long periods of time. Wish I was... would have saved me a lot of trouble with the inquisitors when I was young."

Anevia looks confused at Verene's answer. "Did you have to look at a specific person last time?" She asks. "I thought you got a decent overview of the battlefield here." She jerks her head at the rapidly emptying graveyard. "Not that I object to you scrying their commander or something, but that's what I was expecting."

The archer smirks at the byplay between Merixia and Elliot, shaking her head. "Don't go all self-sacrificing on us now, Elliot. All of us should come out alive." She grows more serious. "If you think you can keep quiet and not bring some hundred enemy soldiers down on us immediately, you can come... but I'd rather you make us invisible if you can."

"I'm afraid I can't. The spell my sister used last time to cloak the lot of us is beyond my grasp since I changed through Eclipse. Maybe one of the others could do it but it's no longer in my 'nature', if that makes sense. It's like asking someone with only a right arm to strike with their left." Elliot explains, throwing a calculating look at the enemy citadel in the distance. "I can cloak myself, but only for a few minutes. I'm not sure what that would get us. Unless you want me to do an invisibly flyover from the area and see what I can from brief aerial exploration. That I could do."

That is, assuming 4 minutes of invisible flight from here is close enough to get decent details of the outer walls and couryard from an aerial overview. I'll leave 1 minute of flight in reserve for unexpected fights.

Merixia shakes her head. "I'm the last person you want along on a scouting mission." She stamps her feet to make her armor plates clank together. "I'll go help with the wounded while you all figure out what's ahead of us."

"You're right. Sorry, I was just happy we did so well thus far and I don't want to sound arrogant or make light of our losses." He turns from his sister to his girlfriend - the two most important women in his life with his mother killed recently. ""But I'd never let anything happen to you if I could at all help it. No matter how many chimeras - chimerae?- I'd have to behead. Um, behead thrice, that is."

"I know you wouldn't, nor I you," Verene says simply. Her slit-pupiled eyes blink slowly. "It is a great comfort, believe me."

Now
"I was not looking for a specific creature last time, but they are different spells for different purposes. The arcane eye would be perfect for getting a bird's-eye view of the inner courtyard of the fortress, without putting anyone at risk, but it cannot see the inside of the citadel unless I can find a place for it to physically enter — a hole, open window, or gap under a door or similar. The scrying spell can go inside without a problem, but is tied to a specific creature and can fail — I must know the creature I am looking for and ideally have some connection to him or her. If you and Lady Irabeth would like, I will simply cast the arcane eye again tomorrow. Or, Elliot and I between us can provide a handful of individual invisibility spells for you and a small number of other scouts. But they will last less than ten minutes."

If Anevia wants, Verene will spend her last two mythic power for the day on invisbility spells.

Thesius listens to the conversations and tries to add what he can.

"I am somewhat skilled in going unnoticed when I try. That is if you wish for an extra set of eyes, but I have little to offer in the ways of magic for the rest of today. If we wish to give the arcane eye a way in, I could open the door we escaped the citadel tower from once more."

Your plan could definitely work, Elliot - there's enough time to do that. Your flight hex lets you go 60 feet per round, so you should be able to get a good bird's eye view of the Citadel's courtyard and walls. You probably won't want to go inside, though.

"An invisible flyover would definitely help keep us safer." Anevia nods at Elliot. "If you can manage that, we'll be grateful. Maybe double-check to see whether the catapults are back up and running again." She looks at Verene, then nods her understanding slowly. "Well, that's fair. I don't think we need to see inside the Citadel proper - just inside its outer walls. There's at least a few hundred enemies in there, from what the others and I saw on our way around the settlement."

She considers again. "But any information you get is probably going to be valuable. Making a few of us invisible will let us get in more scouting - maybe learn who's in command or the like."

I can move us forwards to the strategy meeting or to the scouting - depending on which you guys want to do first. The strategy meeting will be in the evening.

Taking a deep breath, Elliot nods. "Okay. I'll use some wardstone power to fly overhead invisibly and see what I can spot from above. I'll hang back and be careful, I promise."

@GM I'm fine with both, mostly I don't want to delay the story by going on a scouting mission when some of us, Like Merixia, aren't very suited to such a thing and would get sidelined on that action. As such I'm fine with spending the resources doing the invisible flyover for the result and then forwarding to the war meeting. Elliot will spend 1 MP to invisible himself , walk closer to the citadel with the scouts invibly and then fly up to get the aerial view of the outer fortifications. He'll do that for at most 4 minutes of flight so he has 1 minute left, then descend and withdraw. This leaves him with 3 MP and X minutes of fly hex for the rest of the day.

With their decisions made, the heroes separate for a time, ready to go about their different tasks as they need.

Meanwhile, Verene prepares her spell, incanting and gazing into the depths of a basin of water.

The night falls, and the command staff are summoned to the forward base - a small house near the bridge that the heroes claimed earlier in the day. Irabeth's gaze is fixed on the Citadel in the distance, while Anevia watches her carefully. Sosiel and Aron are examining plans of the Citadel that are laid out on the table, while Aravashnial seems to be meditating patiently.

Elliot glances at his teacher, then Irabeth, waiting for permission to speak in the pregnant silence. He approaches the map and compares his observations and notes to what he now saw before him. "I'd like to report my findings, if I may."

If he may?

"From what I estimate, there's around three hundred of them, mostly in the barracks, mostly consisting of Kellid. There's still a fair bit of Tieflings and dretches left, too. It seems the dretches are lowest on their command structure. As for what they'd been doing all this time..."

He draws a line connecting the buildings he think he saw connected through the fortifications. "They've been building walls along the road and citadel mostly, there's also a network of connected buildings going roughly like this. I think their aim is to make it hard for the cavalry to do anything. Funnel us together and confine us so much the horses can't move. What demons I could see were also taking the high ground, probably preparing to throw down spells and such at the army below when it moves."

"Some good news too - it looks as if Thesius' sabotage still holds. So the catapults *Should* be out."

If I forgot anything, he says the rest from the spoiler above.

He takes a deep breath and turns to Aron Kir. "I'm no tactician, but it's clear to me that we can't just rush and play this according to their wishes and rules. If we do, this might get a lot messier than it needs to be. I'm not sure how to best handle it, though. It seems that no matter what we do, there's going to be a lot of close-quarters, urban combat. As our sige master, how do you propose we handle this, Aron? I freely admit I have no experience fighting in mass urban warfare. This is way different than kenabres or any of the battles on the road here."

After all her work on adapting the spell, and buying the expensive focus in the form of the enormous mirror out of her own money, Verene has high hopes. As its flawless silver surface turns black as a pool of ink upon the completion of the hour of chanting, gesturing and meditating on the face she wishes to see, triumph fills her. It works. Not only had it worked, it had worked without any use of the Wardstone's power. She had drawn the runes and shapes she needed to bend the threads of reality to her will from a combination her own training and her intuition, and memorized it as she would any other spell, without the shortcut of that second sight that showed her exactly what was needed.

But her celebration is short-lived as the black mirror shows her an image of a spotless bedroom, then flickers and fades, the blackness bleeding out of it like ink dropped into water in reverse. Her own face stares back at her from the silver surface, and she sighs. Staunton Vhane had thrown off the spell. Still. It is proof of concept.

The necessary focus for the spell is a mirror worth 1,000 gp, and I bought it specially with Verene's money before leaving Kenabres.

Upon completing the spell, she goes to the forward base, finding that she is last to arrive at the command room. Verene folds her hands and listens intently to Elliot's summary of what he saw.

"Unfortunately, I am unable to add any useful information to Elliot's observations. I completed the scrying spell, and I am fairly certain it worked. However, Staunton Vhane's mind is well protected against magical interference or observation. I saw only a brief glimpse of what I assume is his room in the fortress. I can try again tomorrow, no sooner, or simply use the arcane eye and look for a way into the citadel. Thesius suggested the postern we found at the base of the watchtower in the outer wall, but I am not sure that will let the eye into the citadel itself."

The command staff listens to the mages' reports carefully. At Elliot's question, Aron contemplates for a few moments. "Thing is, this outer wall was designed by dwarves to keep people like us from doing exactly what we're trying to do." He begins. "There're a few broken towers on the outer walls that might let us slip through them, but only in small numbers and definitely not in a way that is manageable for an army."

Irabeth nods her understanding to Verene. "From what I know of him, Vhane akin to the equal and opposite of a paladin. His will is fierce, so I can't blame you for your struggle."

"He's also a dwarf, and trying to get magic to stick to them can be quite irritating." Aravashnial notes dryly.

"As to entrances into the Citadel proper, well." Aron purses his lips. "There're some, but they're mostly doors, which'll probably be shut, unless you wait for a mortal to go in or come out."

Irabeth sighs. "Thus far, none of the armies we've faced has proven a match for the Knights of Kenabres. However, I don't want to rely purely on our troops' martial skills if we can stack the odds in our favor. Unlike our first few battles, there's no element of surprise we can leverage here - the armies inside are alert to our presence.

"There are three main problems I can see at the moment." The Knight-Commander continues. "First, we'll have to keep ahold of the bridge to the far side of the Ahari. That means leaving troops there. While it's a chokepoint, even fifty-odd tieflings striking in the middle of the night could force guards back - especially if we return to Paradise Hill as a stronghold." She scans her staff for responses.

"Second, while striking immediately has its recommendations - it leaves us less open to sabotage and overnight attacks - it also would push our already exhausted soldiers to further limits, which I'd prefer to avoid.

"Third, if Aron's right - and I don't doubt his expertise - then we'll need to force our way through the gateway into the outer wall. Fortunately," she glances at her wife, "there's no actual gate there, so we won't have to batter one down... but that does still mean that we'll have to force our way through a whole lot of people."

"So... you're saying we're forced into a frontale assault anyway?" The magus sighs tiredly after yet another long day of fighting and scouting. "Okay. In that case, what should we do to make as easy for our army as possible?" he asks to no one in particular.

Irabeth nods her understanding to Verene. "From what I know of him, Vhane is akin to the equal and opposite of a paladin. His will is fierce, so I can't blame you for your struggle."

"He's also a dwarf, and trying to get magic to stick to them can be quite irritating." Aravashnial notes dryly.

Verene smiles thinly. "Indeed. I feel it would work eventually, but I can only make one attempt per day against him specifically. Perhaps I will ask Nurah about other creatures she knows to be inside the fortress whose minds may be less well-defended."

"There are three main problems I can see at the moment." The Knight-Commander continues. "First, we'll have to keep ahold of the bridge to the far side of the Ahari. That means leaving troops there. While it's a chokepoint, even fifty-odd tieflings striking in the middle of the night could force guards back - especially if we return to Paradise Hill as a stronghold." She scans her staff for responses.

"Second, while striking immediately has its recommendations - it leaves us less open to sabotage and overnight attacks - it also would push our already exhausted soldiers to further limits, which I'd prefer to avoid.

"Third, if Aron's right - and I don't doubt his expertise - then we'll need to force our way through the gateway into the outer wall. Fortunately," she glances at her wife, "there's no actual gate there, so we won't have to batter one down... but that does still mean that we'll have to force our way through a whole lot of people."

"We did take the bridge knowing that holding and protecting it until we are ready to use it would become our burden. Now that the ghouls are defeated and dispersed, however, I think it less important to shelter inside the fortifications on Paradise Hill tonight. Unlike the ghouls, who were outside the citadel already, being inside the walls is their greatest defense. If the army moved its encampment to be amongst the buildings south of the Ahari Bridge, out of range of any potential fireballs from the brimoraks on the watchtowers but close enough to support the bridge guards if the cultists inside attacked in force, that might serve well enough to discourage an attack on the bridge overnight. Especially if we set a magical alarm to ring loudly and alert us the second any creature steps foot out of the hole in the wall.

"When we do attack, it seems wise for the five of us to fly up and engage the brimoraks on the watchtowers just beforehand, so that they do not bombard the troops from above. Additionally, if we are worried about the fortifications they have been working on inside allowing them to create a chokepoint at the hole in the outer wall where the front gate used to hang, I have a few tricks they have not seen that I will be able to bring to bear. I can wall off an area about ninety feet long with a ten-foot-tall wall of ice, for instance, or half that long with a twenty-foot-tall wall, or fill a circle forty feet wide with tripping and strangling black tentacles. Direct me at a specific problem or task, and I will do my best to solve it."

Merixia listens to Verene's proposal, tail twitching slowly as she thinks. "I agree that camping near the Ahari Bridge is probably our best bet. I have enough magic left for four stone shape spells before I sleep tonight; maybe that could help repair some of the buildings enough to provide cover from enemy spells or projectiles. I will need either Verene's nap stack spell or a full night's rest afterward, though."

"When we do attack, it seems wise for the five of us to fly up and engage the brimoraks on the watchtowers just beforehand, so that they do not bombard the troops from above. Additionally, if we are worried about the fortifications they have been working on inside allowing them to create a chokepoint at the hole in the outer wall where the front gate used to hang, I have a few tricks they have not seen that I will be able to bring to bear. I can wall off an area about ninety feet long with a ten-foot-tall wall of ice, for instance, or half that long with a twenty-foot-tall wall, or fill a circle forty feet wide with tripping and strangling black tentacles. Direct me at a specific problem or task, and I will do my best to solve it."

Ooh, a rematch against the brimoraks! Excellent. "Yeah, we definitely need to eliminate the possibility of enemy fireballs before getting the army within range of the towers. Unfortunately I don't have much in the way of large scale defensive spells. If they have archers, I can make a wind wall, but that's about it."

Irabeth nods briefly at Elliot. "It seems like we will, unfortunately." She glances at Aron, who shrugs helplessly, then nods.

"If you want to get an army in, then yeah, you're gonna have to go through the front gates. Unless we've got siege engines or the like... but it'd take some serious time to build anything I'd be comfortable claiming could take down those walls."

"Then Elliot's question is a good one - how to deal with that to make it the easiest possible." Sosiel says.

Irabeth nods, then looks to Verene. "I'm glad you think so. In fact, given your performance so far, I'm entrusting you as a strategist for the Knights' further engagements." She grins. "Don't let it go to your head, and no, I'm not accepting refusals."

"Congratulations!" Anevia adds cheekily. "Here's more work for you to do." That earns a few chuckles from the rest of the command staff, even Irabeth.

Growing serious, the Knight-Commander continues. "I agree, as it happens. Camping in Southshore will be easier in some ways-"

"The cultists were definitely cleaner than the demons." Anevia says cheerfully, to which her wife simply rolls her eyes.

"Yes, well, that too. It will mean we've got to move our injured here so we can protect them from any ambushes and keep our forces together, but that's not too big an issue." The paladin pauses. "As for your plan to deal with the forces in the fortress' courtyard..." She considers.

"If we wall off one side of the circle from the gate, it'll let us manage the enemies much more effectively." Sosiel supplies. "The ones on the far side of it will have to go around - or through - the citadel to get to us. That'll give us a lot easier a time dealing with the enemies on the other side."

"If you can set up the spells along the way - at chokepoints between the citadel and the outer wall, like these," Aron indicates pulls out his map and indicates a few places on it which I've marked with orange lines, "they'll have to either wade through the moat or face multiple threats."

Irabeth nods approvingly. "So, you six should take out the three towers that have demons on them, and then set up whatever barriers you're able to at those chokepoints. Do the one closest to the gate first, though."

Elliot grinned at his sister being promoted as the chief tactician. Totally deserved, in his opinion. He listens to the rest of the plan and does a low-key whistle. "Assassinating the Brimoraks should be easy, if very high on magical resources. We'll need fire protection and flight for all of us. And then afterwards, you want us, which probably means just Verene -" He glances around to see if anyone else was confident in their magical ability to terraform army-sized obstacles into existence.".-to completely magically wall off three seperate sections of the city, *while the fight is still going on*. And that's only the start of the assault."

He looks at Sosial and Aravashnial. "We'll need your help in preparing. Every single flight or energy resistance spell that can be spared by either of you will help a lot."

"Personally, I'll try and prepare as many long-lasting spells as I can. Who know lengthy the battle will be."

Verene blinks and opens her mouth, but promptly shuts it when Irabeth declares she will not take no for an answer, and even chuckles at Anevia's levity. She examines the map Aron produces, listens to Elliot, and nods briskly. "It sounds like a good plan to me. I will set the alarm tonight. Tomorrow I will use the Wardstone power to protect at least the five of us from brimoraks' fire and to wall off those areas inside the walls one by one in order of their closeness to the gate. I will save my own spells for providing flight, quickening us, and for fighting large groups. As Elliot says, any further copies of the flight spell you can spare would be most useful, Master Aravashnial."

She awaits any further orders, but otherwise is ready to begin setting up camp in Southshore and preparing for tomorrow. She also has an idea for a magic item that has been germinating, but creating it might be better done tomorrow.

Thesius listens intently to his companions, nodding as he hears their thoughts.

"While I can not provide flight, I can provide Heroism to four out of five of us. Merixia has the standard. Wulfric has the ability to cast it should he need it. My spell should last for about an hour at this point in time after consideration of my more recent castings of it."

The plans so far seem solid, but he wondered if there might be a way to improve upon them.

"If someone has the capacity, we could perhaps strengthen the bridge as well to help make it harder for them to try and sabotage."

Rubbing his holy symbol, he tries to think of anything from the past that may align with their current efforts.

Take 20 with Lore Master on a Knowledge (History) check for a 32 on remembering anything about the Citadel of Drezen that might come in handy.

Aravashnial considers. "I do wonder whether my spells might be of more use summoning allies to fight alongside our army..." He drums his fingers on his staff. "I can spare some spells to aid you, I think. But I'll want to save some to help our forces."

He hesitates. "I can only prepare spells of that potency a few times. Alongside this," he taps his staff with a forefinger, "it won't be many. But if you think it wisest, I'll prepare one or two."

He's only got two 3rd level spell slots, and one for conjuration spells.

Sosiel frowns. "I can pray for a few spells to help preserve you against fire. I imagine they'll be most useful for you rather than the few paladins or soldiers I could put it on."

Irabeth nods firmly. "Good. We need some way for you to signal us, Verene - I don't want you to cast the spells until after you've dealt with the brimoraks, and then I want us to charge in as soon as we can thereafter." She looks to the rest of the champions, a brow arched inquisitively.

If you've got any suggestions, now's the time.

"So... on the whole charging in thing. This might be a dumb idea. And there's probably a lot of reasons why it wouldn't work. But after that bit with repairing the bridge, we have some experienced shoneshapers with us." He gestures at his paramour and then Sosial. "Couldn't we just... you know, stoneshape alternative entrances into the city, straight through the walls for the army to use? So that we can walk in behind them and pin them against their own fortifications?"

Verene looks inquiringly at Aron and Anevia.

This seems like a question that's entirely up to the GM. We as characters should know roughly how thick the outer walls are to know if this is reasonable, since we all have been above them on a watchtower and looked down at them. Elliot more recently than anyone else. As players, we haven't been told directly, and we can make some guesses from the geographic map, but its size is small enough that there is significant uncertainty. Stone shape could move 17-19 cubic feet of stone per casting, about the size of a large standard refrigerator. Verene can cast it now too through Wild Arcana. So we have a lot of potential casts in a single day. But we don't know how long/how many casts it would reasonably take to make a hole wide enough for multiple people on horseback to ride through simultaneously (since a hole that only one non-stealthy soldier at a time can get through is still tactically bad for us and good for the enemy.) If the walls are like 20 feet thick, and each cast gets us 2 feet through them for one single person riding... my sense is it would be enough of an investment of our resources that it might not be worth it compared to the giant gap in the walls where the gate used to be. Measuring on the geographic map by comparing to the 400-foot width of Citadel Drezen itself, the walls are at least 20 feet thick, while that main-gate gap is more like 60-70 feet. A definite weak point.

"Depending on how thick the walls are, it's possible that might be a good idea..." Aravashnial muses.

"They're over a dozen feet thick." Aron says, consulting the plans. "Actually, more like twenty." His brow furrows. "Dwarves build to last. Plus, there's a fair few buildings - garrisons, cookhouses, that sort of thing - in the courtyard proper. I'm not dismissing it out of hand, 'cause I don't know how easy or hard that spell is to work."

Sosiel frowns. "It's innovative, that's for sure. But I think it'd be a better idea if we had siege engines or the like... and didn't have a gaping hole to rush through. That spell would take a lot of castings to move enough stone to make a difference." He smiles at Aron. "And although I trust our engineer to ensure we're not going to bring it down on our heads, I'm not sure how quickly or effectively we could do it."

"I think pinning them against their fortifications is a good plan." Irabeth says thoughtfully. "But it's probably a better idea to do so after you've dealt with the brimoraks and flown down into the courtyard."

"Okay. Then that plan seems to be mostly out... or at least too high on resource cost. Twenty feet thick all round? Damn. It must've been a titanic effort to have walls that massive all around a citadel so large. A testiment to the dwarves of the crusades before us, I suppose," He notes, but doesn't any further comments or advice unmprompted. It seemed the plan was made. Now it was time to roll the dice.

At least, almost.

"The dwarves definitely built it to last." Aron says in response to Elliot, a faint, tired smile on his lips. "It'd still be ours if it wasn't for treachery - between the banner and the incredible fortifications? Yeah, they wouldn't have spent enough to get in."

"Of course," Sosiel says, looking scoldingly at his lover, "they didn't have anyone with power like yours - and unlike the crusaders, the demons have left the garrison undermanned."

I'm not up to posting a move-forwards post today, but I will do so tomorrow.

Verene nods in agreement with the assessment of the other command staff. When the meeting ends, she enacts her plan.

After dark, she asks for a cast of invisibility from Elliot* and uses it to approach to a little less than fifty feet from the hole in the walls where the front gate used to hang. There she chants, rings a miniature hand bell, and bends a strand of silver wire in a circle to set a magical alarm centered in the gap, to give the soldiers left on the bridge advance warning of attack. During the quiet of the night, if any creature larger than a cat crosses her ward, the sound of a ringing hand-bell should be just audible to the guards on the end of the bridge nearer the citadel.

She returns to the camp, makes her usual preparations for bed, and charges a wand before sleeping. Will bookkeep this tomorrow when I feel up to it.

*Should leave him with one use of mythic power to charge a wand and one to make the illusion for Merixia. That was a cute scene.

Going to move us to the following morning.

The night passes quietly for the champions. Although there is an attack on the bridge, the crusaders handle it without the heroes' intervention - at Irabeth's insistence, they are saving themselves for the following morning.

Toilday, the 16th of Rova, 4713

The unpleasant grey light of the Worldwound in the morning awakens the heroes to their duties. Today is the day. The courtyard will be seized... then it all comes down to besieging the Citadel itself.

The crusaders - especially the non-paladins - gather to listen to Azira and Wulfric preach, their hearts stirred to courage by the duo's words. Aravashnial arrives with the champions, his face grave and resolute - he's ready to cast the spells on them when they are prepared to head out.

Irabeth is already wearing her armor and stands at the forefront of the camp, directing soldiers to prepare for the forthcoming battle. There's a definite air of tension lingering amidst the crusaders - everyone knows this will be a decisive battle, a turning point for the crusade as a whole.

"Good, you're up." Irabeth says when she notices the champions. "Before we set out, I want you to set up a signal that lets us know when we should charge in. I don't want to risk being bombarded by the brimoraks if at all possible."

Toilday, 16th Rova, 4713
Command Tent

"Besides the message spell, you mean? So that everyone is on the same page." Verene folds her hands in the wide monkish sleeves of her very unwizardly garments and considers this. The pink quartz ioun stone with the silver-mended crack rotates slowly about her head. "Well, I do have a signal whistle. I will blow two blasts on it when the brimoraks are defeated. It should be clearly audible to everyone waiting. And you could respond with the horn of assured victory to let us know you are coming and raise the soldiers' morale as the charge begins. Is that acceptable?"

Verene has had a signal whistle from jump and never needed to use it before!

Irabeth nods. "That'll work." She says. "Kira should have the horn now, so I'll let her know."

Little post before you all get your buffs and such up.

Pre-Meeting Note: Having been asked about it by Merixia in the morning, Verene does prepare prestidigitation for cleaning today and uses it to do laundry for their group, shaking all dirt, stains and odors out of each article of clothing with a crisp and practiced snap that leaves it clean and fresh-smelling. She concentrates a little longer on Merixia's gambeson to also give it a subtly sweet wildflower scent like the flowers Elliot had brought to their tent the previous evening. It was a touching gesture. Perhaps the reminder might give her comfort in what is likely to be a long, bloody, and grueling day.

Post Command Meeting
When the army is standing ready, Verene goes with the others to its head and begins casting, the longest-lasting spells first as always. She is already protected from the elements by her daily preparations, but she now wards herself and merges with Thamyris, casts the message spell to connect the six of them with Irabeth, and enchants a cauldron full of magical wine so that everyone who wants one can have a cup and be that much warier of traps and ambushes. She sharpens her senses, takes the kobold form from Terendelev's scale, and only then grants flight to Azira and Thesius, while she asks that Aravashnial's two casts of the spell should go to herself and Wulfric. She wards Thesius and then herself from evil, drawing on the power she had previously invested in a large, perfectly round silvery-gray pearl; makes herself more alert to danger; and splits herself into multiple images of the kobold in order to foil attacks. Finally, she protects the six of them and the two squads of paladins who volunteered to be in the vanguard from fire. Using two uses of mythic power to cast communal protection from energy (fire) with Wild Arcana twice.

When Aravashnial performs the transmutation, she nods her thanks to the grave-looking elven wizard and holds up her small, scaled hand to his to receive the gift of flight. Instead of a smile, her slitted golden eyes blink in solemn approval. "Thank you, Master Aravashnial. Fortune favors those in your care. See you soon." Verene would not presume to tell him to be careful: he may be several centuries old for all she knows, and she has complete confidence in his ability to protect himself with his magic, in any situation short of the Storm King's arrival on the scene again.

To the sortie team she whispers, "Once we take off, it should be only around thirty seconds or less of flying as fast as we can go. We should split up and keep at least forty feet between each person while we fly for that first intact watchtower left of the gate. Only in the final moments of our charge do we converge again. That way if the brimoraks see us coming and use their fireballs, each one will only hit, at most, one person."

She casts the shield spell from the wand when everyone seems similarly ready, and they are off. Verene ascends as steeply as she dares, then keeps at least forty feet of distance between herself and anyone else as they whistle through the air, arrowing toward the watchtowers and their expected guardians. Once the group converges again, she has the quickening spell at her fingertips.

Can't ready an action out of combat, but she'll cast haste as soon as all five of the others are within 30 feet of her and each other, while everyone is still flying. If this means she starts the combat farther away from the tower than the others, that's fine.

Buffs up: endure elements 24 hours, mage armor 7 hours, merge with familiar 7 hours, heightened awareness 70 minutes, message 70 minutes, tears to wine 70 minutes, alter self 19 minutes, communal protection from fire 15 minutes with 108/108 points remaining, anticipate peril 7 minutes, protection from evil 7 minutes, mirror image 7 minutes with 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 images, fly 5 minutes, haste 7 rounds, shield 5 rounds. Her status line is accurate and up to date, including the increased Initiative value from anticipate peril putting her at +18. Her spells in profile are up to date for this day, including which ones have been used already, and some that are using metamagic for the first time. Fun! She is at 5/7 uses of mythic power and 10/10 Prescience remaining.

Everyone got tears to wine 70 minutes, communal protection from fire 15 minutes with 108/108 points remaining, and haste 7 rounds. Thesius also got protection from evil 7 minutes, and fly 7 minutes. Azira also got fly 7 minutes. Supposing Verene can include around 18ish soldiers in the vanguard, their communal protection from fire will last only 5 minutes, so let's kill these brimoraks quicklike so they can start the charge!

Joining his sister, Elliot similarly prepares for battle, feeling the weight of many years without significant crusader successed weigh down on how. To say nothing of the expectations of his goddess, and likely others besides. Though after last night, he was in excellent spirits regardless.

Reflecting on their many battles these last few weeks, he now felt ready . He'd become used to the wardstone power, as had his friends. And with it, they'd adchieved some trily remarkable feats of strength. Why wouldn't they perform equally well here?

"All right. Gather around... I wasn't able to put this spell to good use last time, but perhaps better opportunities will reveal themselves to us this day," he says, and repeats the spell from yesterday, making everyone feel just slightly more aware of the others. Then he adds his own protective spells and waits for everyone to finish.

He notes yet another interplay between his sister and his teacher and almost fails to contain his curiosity. But there would be another time to ask.

Nodding towards Azira, Thesius and Merixia and giving them a swordsman's salute, he flies off with them at Verene's singal towards the towers.

Elliot's buffs: Shared training: Everyone gets the outflank and paired opportunist's feats as bonus feats for 90 minutes (costs 1 MP). Casts Keen Edge on Merixia and Azira (their crit range is doubled for 7 hours). Casts Longarm (Elliot has 10 ft reach for 7 minutes). Casts Blade tutor's spirit on self for 7 minutes. Uses Terendelev's scale to shapechange into a grippli for 19 minutes. Uses the shield wand every time he has to to reapply 1 minute Shield casts. Mythic point to cast Blur on himself for 9 minutes. I think that is everything for now. MP left: 5/7. He will use the flight hex for this opening barrage of flight. If wulfric joins us... um, does someone carry him with us?

@GM: Did Ragathiel begin Merixia's dream training the night before? I think that's the first full night's sleep she's had since she made her sacrifice.

Merixia thanks Verene profusely for her laundry services, especially when it comes to her gambeson. No more stinky armor, yay! At least not until after the fight. And she even made it smell like Elliot's illusory flowers. It's nice to know that the older woman approves of Merixia courting her brother.

She dons her armor with Azira's help, using the time to focus her mind. Her last encounter with the brimoraks hadn't gone so well. At least part of that was lack of preparation on her part, though, and she can cast more powerful spells now. This time will be different.

The cleric smiles at Verene and Elliot as they cast their spells. "Thank you both. Stick close to me if you can, I'll be using magic circle against evil." She takes hold of the pennon hanging from her backpack to draw the magic out, then begins casting the spells she had in mind for this first fight. The magic circle shimmers to life, her skin takes on the color and texture of cast iron, strength and divine might fill her, her sword glows golden, and five wings of flame ignite on her back.

Time for buffs! Heroism, magic circle against evil, ironskin, bull's strength, crusader's edge, shield of wings, weapon of awe, and divine favor.

Is Wulfric coming with you? He didn't last time, but I'd like to be sure.

The champions make ready their final preparations, and then set off, sailing through the sky towards the towers once more. Perhaps this time will be the last that the brimoraks attempt to retake the towers! Sosiel says that he thinks it likely - they can't be eager to come out and get killed if it keeps happening, and demons are nothing if not interested in self-preservation.

Soon, they are nearly there, and the last spells are cast in preparation of their arrival.

This is what I have for buffs at the moment. I'd like for Thesius to share his before I kick off the combat.

Wulfric didn't come up to the towers last time, but with two copies of fly from Aravashnial and two from Verene, I figured we could afford to have him along this time, and I know everyone, especially Azira, likes to have him along for his combat bonuses. He was included in the "everyone" buffs, too, so he has fire protection.

I'm fine with spending a mythic point to give Wulfric Fly so he can come with us. His buffs are worth it imo. Also, if he's a level 5 bard can he split the heroism buffs with Thesius?

Thesius adds his magic to the mix by casting Heroism on himself, Verene, Elliot, and Merixia. Trusting Wulfric will supply Azira with a casting.

He will also cast Heightened Awareness upon himself as well.

These spells will last 60 minutes each since he lost one caster level when going into Evangelist.

Knowing what they are up against, he will ready his weapons and start with the +1 cold iron longspear in hand.

Merixia's already got heroism up, so I've put it on Azira instead.

I don't think anyone cast invisibility of any sort, so you'll probably be noticed as you head in. Correct me if I'm incorrect in this assumption - I'll rewrite the battle-beginning post if that's the case.

As the heroes approach the southwestern tower rapidly, the brimorak there takes quick note of their arrival, and fires off a fireball into the sky, sending off the alert to its fellows.

Combat Start

Round 1

Initiative Order is Verene, Thesius, Elliot, brimoraks, Azira, Merixia. I've adjusted so that I only have to post twice per combat round by aggregating Azira with the brimoraks. Bolded characters are up.

Not wasting any time, Elliot flies in, Keens his weapon and readies an attack for the first ally to join him in flanking the lookout Brimorak!

Swift action to arcane point and gain Keen and increase weapon enhancement by 1 for 1 minute, move action to flank brimorak from the air, ready an attack when ally joins the flank. With Verene's haste and Fly Elliot (and everyone not in heavy armor) should have 90 feet aerial movement and can do it in one move without provoking. Assuming Thesius joins the attack and the two of them flank and strike the one enemy on the map:

attack, buffs from profile, haste, outflank, arcane enhancement +1: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (19) + 23 = 42
damage: 1d4 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

attack, buffs from profile, haste, outflank, arcane enhancement +1, crit confirm: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (10) + 23 = 33
extra crit damage: 1d4 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

@Thesius mostly: As Elliot and Thesius are presumably flanking when Elliot's crit lands, Thesius gets an AoO from outflank. Which in turn gets Elliot an AoO from paired opportunists. So they can both attack it an additional time by spending their attack of opportunity for the round. Teamwork feat value!

Bonus Outflank AoO attack, buffs from profile, haste, outflank, arcane enhancement +1: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (4) + 23 = 27
damage: 1d4 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

@GM I think Elliot's AC is slightly too low in the spoiler. It should be 10 base, 5 armor, 6 dex, 1 deflection, 4 shield, 1 small size, 1 haste, 1 insight* = 29 base, 22 Flat-footed, Touch 20. Though base and touch go down one after haste expires. *Edit: Okay, with Perfect Placement now too for 7 rounds, the temporary insight bonus was added.

Awesome imagery, Merixia. And thanks, Elliot and Thesius! I've now updated Verene's status line to include the +2 bonus from heroism on her saves. If necessary I guess she can start giving flanking too. Maybe I should have her claim a cold iron weapon of some kind.

Completely right, GM — I didn't spend a use of mythic power on invisibility sphere or anything. Verene actually wanted them to see our group and be focused on that — not the massing paladins and mercenaries getting ready to charge.

Prescience, 9/10 remaining: 1d20 ⇒ 7

The cool points of the lightning-eye medal dent her palm and the cold distance of battle rushes over Verene. It is a relief, after all their planning and preparing and worrying. Elliot's spell making her more aware of the others' movements and intentions combines with that well of cool clarity somehow to produce almost a vision of how things could work best; her companions spinning and dodging like dancers on a stage against the demons, cutting them to ribbons while remaining untouched. Verene finds a small ivory token in her hand as she raises it in a warding gesture, and everyone sees just a fragment of that vision in their own minds, giving them almost a sixth sense for where the brimoraks will be and whether they are about to cast a fireball. She continues in her flight, landing just inside the tower wall.

Swift action activate righteous medal of clarity, cast perfect placement, move. +1 insight bonus to AC and Reflex saves for everyone for 7 rounds. Against attacks of opportunity, the bonus rises to +3. I've updated Verene's status line AC values to reflect this as well. Using the Prescience if better for any save or etc. that Verene has to make over the next round.

Thanks Verene! I do try.

@GM: Pretty sure Merixia's AC is thus: base 19, +4 natural ironskin, +2 deflection magic circle against evil, +1 dodge haste, +1 insight perfect placement = AC 27 (touch 15, flat-footed 24? I think you lose both dodge and insight AC when flat-footed). Sorry about that, I should have calculated my AC when I made the combat buffs post.

Thesius activated one of his medals while flying in with Elliot. He takes up on the opposite side of their foe 5 feet away to give him room to effectively use the longspear.

(Swift action to use Righteous Medal of Valor to boost strength, move action to get in range, and standard to attack)

+1 Cold Iron Longspear Attack: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 24 (+7 Base, +1 Righteous Medal of Valor, +1 Haste, +2 Heroism)
+1 Cold Iron Longspear Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 = 9 (+4 Base, +1 Righteous Medal of Valor)

Seeing an opening, he lashes out once more thanks to Elliot's earlier buffs.

+1 Cold Iron Longspear Attack: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 24 (+7 Base, +1 Righteous Medal of Valor, +1 Haste, +2 Heroism)
+1 Cold Iron Longspear Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11 (+4 Base, +1 Righteous Medal of Valor)

As has been decided, I'm going with posting order for the players' turns, for simplicity's sake.And thanks, everyone, for the updates.

Round 1 Midpoint

Righteous Eclipse glows gold as Elliot endows it with an even sharper edge and the power to strike harder and more precisely. Soaring forwards with a blinding speed, he slashes the unprepared brimorak across the throat. The small demon tumbles back, its hide barely saving it from a serious injury, but blood oozes rapidly from the wound.

Verene activates one of the medals granted to her by the Queen for valor in Kenabres, drawing on the insights of her future as she does so. With a swift spell, she shares that insight with her comrades, granting them further ability to anticipate what is to come.

Thesius soars forwards, hovering above the catapult as he stabs sharply at the demon, the longspear a flicking serpent's tongue that tears oozing wounds in the hapless goat-headed demon.

With a wail, the brimorak tumbles away from its two insanely quick aggressors. With his spear out of alignment, Thesius is not able to react quickly enough to strike at the swift-moving demon, leaving it able to evade Elliot's attacks easily enough.
Acrobatics vs. Elliot CMD: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30
I don't think that Thesius gets another AoO because he got one from Elliot's crit.

With a shout, it disappears, teleporting away from the tower. No other brimoraks arrive.

Combat Over?

You may want to look to the other towers...

"Perfect. Onward, to the next tower," Verene urges her companions through the message spell. She alights on the stone only long enough to use it to change direction, then soars forward across the gap of the broken wall for the second gate tower, keeping at least forty feet between herself and any of the others. She'll do this at the first opportunity, so after Merixia and Azira's actions have been resolved.

"Right. Nice strike, Thesius. Let me enhance your spear too before we move on," Elliot compliments the bard, then quickly reaches into the endless expense of arcane threads he'd senses since the wardstone power. He casts another Keen Edge on Thesius' spear and then flies off with the others towards the next tower.

Elliot will use a standard and a mythic point to Keen Thesius' longspear, making it crit on a 19 to 20 for 9 hours. Then he moves and flies with the others. I think that since Merixia is slightly slower than the others, spending one standard would still make us all arrive roughly at the same time at the next site.