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"Get them! Before they drop the bridge!" Shalelu shouted before dashing out on the bridge, drawing her longbow and firing on the closest one.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
But she put her foot down on the wrong board, the bridge slipped aside and Shalelu, face frozen in astonishment, plunged 80 feet straight down into the water.

SHALELU

"I don' know how many they got left at Thistletop. My guess is can't be many."

"...But we can check it out when we get close."

"What... do you think miss Shalelu? You know the goblins better than any here. How much more could they have at Thistletop?"

1d20 ⇒ 20

Shalelu gazed at Calin with inhuman eyes, an indecipherable expression on her face, before flipping over the war chanter next to her and studying the body carefully.
"Mm. Yes; well, Wayland's count would be impressive for a typical clan. However, the Thistletop goblins have been building their numbers for a while now; and they've had ambitions to incorporate the other tribes into a little empire. So yes, we'll have to see when we get closer but they will still number quite a few.
"But the death of Chief Ripnugget; yes, THAT was a masterstroke. There is a better than even chance the whole clan will be in turmoil for a while until another lieutenant can climb to the top again." She said with a chilling smile. "We can take advantage."

She knelt and removed a bundle from her pack. Unwrapping it, she unrolled another twenty elven longbow arrows.
"Well, I am down to my last twenty arrows. I think we should press on until we have more information. Let's just keep our potential line of retreat clear, just in case." She said, arranging the arrows in her quiver carefully.

Shalelu walked over to where her elven masterwork arrows had fallen and picked a handfull up. Apparently they had been trampled in the action.
She sighed and replied; "Yes Calin, I am only slightly injured."
She started stripping the broken arrows of feathers and arrowheads as well as looking for the right sized branches to make new ones.

"I suppose you have something else you'd like us to do once we're rested?"

"Yes indeed." She said, leaning back against her chair with a grimace. You realize that she is wounded, her leg wrapped in bandages and wound about with Regeneration spells.

Waiting until the unit commanders filed in, a light lunch with a nice wine was served.
When everyone was settled, Eviana started.
“The battle has been brutal,” Eviana says with a clenched jaw, “but I feel that we still have a chance at victory.
"With the aid of these heroes here, our forces have managed to clear a path to the Academy of Arts."
She pulled down an overview map of the City.
"We won’t be able to hold this route for long, though.
"The time for our decisive strike has come.
"I would like you to participate in the attack.
"We have limited forces to commit here, with our kin spread so far around the city or holding the route to the Academy, so you’ll be one of three small teams moving against the building.
"It is my hope that we can capture or kill the drow leadership, secure access to this 'Armageddon Echo' whatever it is, and finally bring this war to a close.
"I can understand if you feel this is beyond you, and I would find another group if one was available, but this is just not an option.
"I need you. Will you take on this last mission?”

Lady Evianna met you in the command tent.

"I will be brief. A mission has come up suddenly, and you are the only scouts we can send; the others are all out on their own missions."
She turned to the map of the ancient city and pointed out a particular section.
"This mission is simple—a group of our scouts has gotten itself into a dreadful situation. The team ran into an ambush and was forced to retreat. The remaining forces are pinned down in a ruined tower that
the drow are preparing to destroy. Someone must make haste to the site to defeat the drow before those... can use a captured siege engine to destroy the tower and thereby kill the eves pinned inside."
She turned back to you and hesitated.
"This force was being led by Kaerishiel himself. It was his animal companion that escaped and alerted us. I think you understand why I wanted someone else to undertake it; but there is no one else."

"If there is a threat to you, especially one that is alchemical in nature, I would be happy to offer my assistance... I am somewhat familiar in the ways of alchemy."

Lady Evianna nodded at Zeprham.

"I may also be in need of a change of clothing." he finishes with a grin.

"So I see." Mused Lady Evianna, looking at Zane's shredded and burned clothing, which drew astonished stares from the elven troopers as they strode by.

"Lady Evianna, shall I remain with the group? They have only limited healing, and that is one of my many talents."

Evianna smiled.

Evianna raised her hand and Kaerishiel stopped, grinding his teeth instead.
"It was well done indeed." She said.
Kaerisiel stalked from the tent silently.
"And I apologize for not recognizing the hazard the manufactury presented. No one could have suspected they were so careless with their hazardous alchemical materiels.
"Go get healed and get some rest. I have no doubt there will be more to do tomorrow." She assured you.

Elvianna nodded.
"The task force is yours then. We need this taken soonest. Whenever you are ready, you may begin." She said. "We will be staging attacks at secondary targets southward to draw defenders away.
"Good luck!" She said, sounding sincere.

Shalelu spoke, catching Zephram's eye with a twinkle in her own as she did. You're not sure, but you think she approved of his reasoning.
"Here's a summary of what we know. I can go into more details as you have questions.
"First, let me say that while we are fairly certain that we outnumber the drow here, we are less certain of their full numbers. By counting patrols, identifying individuals through clothing and appearance, we have a rough count. At least of those that are in Celwynvian proper. We have managed to push them back into the heart of the city several times, but each time they disappear and then reappear in our rear some time later."

"Second, as is expected, the drow patrol the city streets regularly after dark, usually with multiple groups in overlapping routes. Demons patrol with the drow, as well as on their own. We have also seen a few instances of demons disobeying drow commands, though no outright violence between the groups.
"And one more thing. I am fairly sure that my scouts have found dragon sign in the area. None have reported contact with the creature, but with all of our losses...well, you can guess the rest."

"Third; One of the buildings on the north side of the city, the one marked as Yuleral's Rain on the map, belches noxious fumes day and night. According to our research, it used to be an arcanists' building, used for all sorts of magical research."

"And that brings us back around to the synchronized raids. The best approach for the bulk of the army is the road that runs right by the library. The one we want you to take. My scouts and Kaerishnial's forces will be attacking locations here, here, and here, followed by smaller segments of the army." she pointed to areas on the southern and western portion of Celwynvian.

"We will have the rest of the scouts and raiders running ahead of the armies to flush any drow scouts before they can note our plans. The library must be taken and held until the army gets in place, and we can make a stronghold, cutting off the drow avenues of escape from Celwynvian. Well, the mundane avenues, anyways.
"We had intended to do this with our Leaf Raiders. Unfortunately, we lost too many in the attack on Crying Leaf last week. This is why, I believe, that the elders have countenanced your presences, and even have asked you for your aid." She looked at Eviana, who nodded.

Eviana nodded at you all, clearly the unity shown. She motioned to one of the scouts.

"Shalelu was just about to speak of what we do know, and then we can bring the raiding teams together, as was planned before you spoke up. Fear not, no one minds questions being brought to the fore, as long as everyone involved has an open mind. Shalelu?"

In the ringing silence Eviana stepped forward, an icy fury palpable in the air.

Stopping in front of Nakoda, her eyes bored holes into the Skald.
"I would first like to... insist... everyone here to keep their spells to themselves." She said pointedly.
Turning to glare at Kaerishiel, she reached out to touch the pommel of his sword, and slowly pushed it back into its scabbard with a snik.
"And to keep their weapons in their sheathes."

She turned suddenly on all of you.
"ALL OF US!
"Our enemy fooled EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. OF. US!"
"Humiliation is abundant this evening. Swallow it down, there is more than enough for EVERYBODY. Relearn the same lesson we have every week for the last century. Our enemy is Intelligent, and Powerful. And he has scored a victory this eve.
"Allowing ourselves to be riven apart with backbiting is to GIVE him ANOTHER!
"I am not inclined to give it to him. Are you?"

"STOP!!" Eviana shouted the Command, the words reverberating right through your body. Everyone in the tent stopped.

Eviana spread a map across the cleared table, a map of an obviously ruined city. "Shalelu, please tell our allies here what they are looking at."

Shalelu nodded and took up a long stick. "This is a map of Celwynvian, at least from what our years of scouting and spying can tell. I based the original on old Kyonin records, and then updated it as I could from there. In some cases, I've had to make educated guesses as to the condition of the streets and buildings from afar."
She pointed again with the stick.
"The streets are patrolled by both drow and demons, making detailed reconnaissance difficult. There are only a few unobstructed ways into the city, and we must secure them first if we are to have any chance of reclaiming the site."

"Based on the information in the journals you brought, we believe the drow refuge is located here, in what used to be the Academy of the Arts. It is well behind the enemy lines, and before we can assault that stronghold, we must take and hold the approaches and bring the army in as a whole. To do this, we will need to infiltrate a few raiding groups that will take and hold these gateways, allowing us to bring in the Host."

"That's where you come in," she said, looking right at the handful of you. "We have heard of your prior experience at fighting the drow, and that you have been more than resourceful in dealing with similar situations. Specifically, I think your group would be ideal to infiltrate here, what used to be the Library of Reenai." She pointed.

Eviana looked to Shalelu, who said, "As with most gateways, the library sits at a natural choke point in the ruins and vegetation. While our army has trained on large-scale tactics, we have very few groups trained in small scale tactics. Since we intend to hit several key installations at once, we thought that your prior expertise in assaulting the drow force in the sea caves would give you the experience necessary to take the library, while our other raiders take the other points."

"As for infiltrate, perhaps that word implies more than I meant. I simply meant that you should be able to assault the library with a relatively small group, take care of the guard forces left there, and hold the location until a larger force arrives. Was that the wrong word to use?"

Does this seem to be the sort of tactic the drow would use?

Elves discussing that very thing nod gravely. "That, and more."

Shall we assume that they have anticipated our approach and are already taking countermeasures?

They shook their heads. "Some, yes, but they have not heard the true details. This could actually work to our favor..."

Could their illusory duplicate of Rezol been listening in on our plans?

Then nodded with certainty. "Yes."

After some commotion had died down, the lights were reestablished.
After you are scanned, detected and wanded, Eviana conferred with a circle of elven sorcerers, then she spoke to all assembled.
"Attention! It is clear that the image of Rezol was used to spy on us. Sentries heard the sound of wings retreating when the image was dispelled; so we conclude that a winged familiar of some kind was used to relay the spell to its master, who is probably still in Celwynvian.
"But it is also certain that the replaced Rezol sometime after he entered the forest, but before he came into Crying Leaf.
"Unfortunately, it heard and saw everything you did.
"Fortunately, we caught it before we discussed truly secret information." She smiled grimly. "They may have overplayed their hand with this.
"Because of this breach, we will have to shift our encampment after we conclude our discussions here tonight. Let us proceed." She spoke, then gestured for you all to take your places again.

Eventually you decide to retire for the evening, and nothing untoward occurs during the night.

In the morning, Kaerishiel arrives with a small host of his guards and asks you to accompany him to Eviana.
Returning to the lodge, you find the leader of Crying Leaf dressed in a resplendent suit of shining elven chainmail. There are a number of other elves here as well, similarly dressed, poring over large maps of the forest.

Eviana stood up straight and spoke directly to you.
“We have come to a decision,” Eviana began, looking both tired and grim. “We are going to war. The information you have provided us has convinced me that we might be able to drive the drow out of our city entirely. Further, I have decided that you might play a useful role in this effort. Our numbers are few and the drow are entrenched. Since you already have experience dealing with the drow, your assistance would be quite valuable.
"What say you? Will you help us?”

She smiled, and a velvet lined tray racked with one hundred highly burnished twenty crown gold coins is slid over to you.

“Thank you for this. You now know why we have had to close the borders of the Mierani, and indeed, why Crying Leaf was established. The drow have a strong presence in the old ruins of the once great city of Celwynvian."
She hesitated, frowning.
"I tell you now that the situation is far worse than you might suspect. The drow control the ruins almost completely, and have for some time now. We here in Crying Leaf have been locked in what seems
to be an unending struggle with them for many years, and until recently we believed we had them contained. Yet your conflicts under Riddleport and on Devil’s Elbow showed us all this was not the case at all. And in Celwynvian, the drow have been quite elusive. "Whenever we prepare a major strike, the city seems empty, but our gains are quickly eroded within days as a renewed force pushes us back. We had thought that the drow were fleeing into the Darklands, but now we know the truth of it—they have been retreating instead into this pocket dimension they call the Armageddon Echo."
She stood up.
“I must confer with my contacts in Kyonin to determine what is to be done with the knowledge. Might I ask you to wait until we have decided? You have done well so far against the drow, and there may be a place for you among Crying Leaf’s forces in the battles to come. I assure you, if you are willing to join with us, you shall be paid handsomely, at rates equal to those we afford the Shin’Rakorath.”