» Forgotten Realms Calendar / Campaign Timeline     » Amassed Loot     » Monster Roster     » Current Party Stats    

Rooftop Battle

Tyan’s Journal

Regaining our composure from the rooftop battle, I took the time to reflect on the recent goings on. We had been greeted by a trio plus one from the same town that lost those men in the caravan attack. I won’t go into why the attack was successful at this time, sufficed to say that with more thought on someone’s behalf, there would have been more of the caravan to survive.

Anyway, I took the opportunity to convinced these young lads to join in our mission. Well, that was not the words I used, but it was for a good cause, and they would have a chance to get revenge on those who ordered the attack on the caravan. And, technically there was a chance that a member of the caravan had been taken here. I had no evidence to the contrary. And we could use the extra help.

Never mind that, the four of them were happy to help. Although the elves did take an interest in one who seemed to them at least to be a Zhent. And by denying that he was one just made them believe it even more.

As the party discussed the possible Zhent identity for far too long, I asked the other three new fellows to sneak down to the castle to help me scout. I don’t remember telling them all about the giants and ogre mage, but I do remember telling them about the orcs. Or was it the hobgoblins I told them about?

Anyway, they had enough information to be happy to help. Well, we reached the building on our side of the river without any problem. In fact we easily climbed to the roof and had a chance to look about at our situation. The building on this side, while looking worse for wear, was in fact quite sturdy. It had in its past at least one other floor, as did its counterpart across the river. Yet time nor battle have done enough to prevent them being used as a stronghold.

As I thought about our situation the rest of the group arrived from the camp. I guess they decided not to let us have all the fun. After some debate on what the situation was, and with some added information from the cleric, we had a better picture of the situation. Glitch says to trust her, but I have been lied to by too many clerics.

The party looked for a way into the building, other than the hole from the night before, or the front door. I was going to argue more for the front door when Glitch mentioned that he could get in ahead of us and scout. This idea was met well with the group and we searched for a place to sneak the adventurous rat in.

Soon was found what was previously a stairwell that someone had taken the chance to fill with boulders. Glitch easily slid his way in and found two giants waiting with large clubs. The giants were hiding, well, as well as two giants can hide, and watching the ceiling where we were. I called Glitch back after he looked around a bit and we began forming another plan.

Deitricha and I figured out a way to combine our spells to get us across the river and to the roof of the opposite building. We tied a rope to all of us for precaution, then I lifted the party into the air with a scroll I was saving for just such an emergency. Deitricha then cast a spell to make her fly across to the other building, with us in tow.

Once on the other building we scouted once again for a way in. And to the credit of our enemy, they had clogged this building’s stairway with boulders just as well as the other. With a snicker Glitch snuck in again. This time there were no giants at the bottom, instead it was a small 10’ by 10’ room with one door. Glitch snuck over and tried to peek through the crack under the door. In a flash of confusion that quite disoriented both Glitch and me, a spell was triggered and Glitch was teleported to a prison cell.

This will not do, I thought. I retrieved a wand from my backpack that Theona had given me days before and began casting against the floor below me. The next few moments came all at once, I created a large hole and saw movement below. Not wanting to react second I cast a sphere of electricity into the hole. Mind you, most creatures do not survive this spell, most creatures except for the hydra below. It was as I backed up from the opening that the party yelled they were being attacked, something about giants and displacer beasts. And I wanted to help them, really, except the ogre mage that landed behind me and cleaved me nearly in two got the highest priority.

Quickly I raised a globe of darkness and moved slightly away from the ogre mage. Soon I felt the wind of a great swing that was far too close for comfort. I could hear the cries for help from my comrades as their end of the fight turned badly on them. Doing my best to hold my innards in, I began casting my most potent spells at the area I thought the ogre mage to be. Running low on spells and realizing that there were now less calls for help then before I decided that even if the ogre mage cuts me down when I leave the globe of darkness, I had to try and help my friends.

I stepped out to see all four of the people that joined us this morning were down and I didn’t know if they could be saved. Areon was carrying a limp Theona and Deitricha was standing up against two giants and two displacers. I cast my last sphere of electricity where it could do the most damage, killing one of each along with a couple of orcs that I didn’t notice.

It was then that the ogre mage came at me again, and by some miracle its great swing missed me. Areon apparently put Theona down and raced to my aid while Deitricha and the now-mobile Theona fought off the others. Somehow Areon and I finally killed the huge foe. When we once again could look to the others there was just one giant left, and he was running. I summoned a celestial bird to attack it while Areon and the now-standing, and last-surviving member from the town, Ebin launched arrows at it.

As we watch the giant run off into the hills, I was once again wondering how I was going to get Glitch back.

Posted by Jim on June 20, 2005, 18:47 | Tyan’s Journal