20000617 CasualtiesOfWar

<H1> Casualties of War </H1>
<H2> Role Call </H2>
<TABLE>
<TR>
 <TD> Kill'Dar </TD>
 <TD> 9th/3rd Elf Wizard/Fighter </TD>
 <TD> Rick DiRicco </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Colin </TD>
 <TD> 12th Human Fighter </TD>
 <TD> Jim Yonemura </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Kieran </TD>
 <TD> 7th/4th Half-Elf Cleric/Wizard </TD>
 <TD> Ray Chiang </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Grackle </TD>
 <TD> 6th/5th Half-Elf Fighter/Rogue </TD>
 <TD> Mark Whisler </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Prince Donner </TD>
 <TD> 6th/5rd Human Fighter/Wizard </TD>
 <TD> John Speck </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Travian </TD>
 <TD> 8th Human Paladin </TD>
 <TD> Robert Giedt </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Fingle </TD>
 <TD> 3rd/7th Gnome Cleric/Wizard </TD>
 <TD> Richard Jacobsen </TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<H2> Session Summary </H2>
<P>
Robert shows up late. "Do we have a plan?"
</P>
<P>
Considering all their options, the group eventually decides
to head back to the gatehouse to rest. In order to fly everyone
back, Fingle shrinks Ashlun. Along the way back, Colin and
Grackle notice that the fire and smoke is virtually nonexistent
back at the inner keep.
</P>
<P>
As the party flies in, the Aquitanian troops are fully contained
in the city and the gatehouse is closed. The orcs outside the
walls of the city are still mobilizing, but staying far out of
bowshot range from the walls. Looking back in the harbor, there
appear to be no ships.
</P>
<P>
As the group enters the gatehouse, they see Hagal issuing orders.
He appears to be badly wounded.
</P>
<P>
Two of the buildings near the gatehouse have been converted into
a field hospital. The majority of the Aqutanian forces are near
the gatehouse. The Black Lions and heavy infantry are nowhere
near the gatehouse and are assumed to be out in the street
fighting in the city.
</P>
<P>
As the group attempts to sit down, the people appear to get
out of the way. In the meantime, 
</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Donner:</B> Colin, why don't you find out the status from Hagal?
<P>
<B>Colin:</B> Yes, my lord.
</P>
<B>Donner:</B> Kill'Dar, I know that your ring has virtually unlimited healing ability once per person. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to allocate a fixed amount of time to perform this healing.
<P>
<B>Kill'Dar:</B> I was thinking the same thing.
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> Let's plan to start resting within the hour.
</P>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>
Colin and Kill'Dar approaches Hagal.
</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Hagal:</B> Well, the reports are kind of sketchy. It looks so far like we're making good progress. It looks like
	 we won't be able to secure the city. We might be
	 able to take possession of the city, but not secure
	 it in the next three hours.
</P>
<P>
<B>Kill'Dar:</B>
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> I still haven't heard that we control all the walls yet.
</P>
<P>
<B>Colin:</B> Maybe if I inform the prince about that, we might be
 able to help with that.
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> Frankly, I'm worried about what's going to come out of the keep after nightfall. I'm not worried about
	 a few orcs. What do you have to report about that?
</P>
<P>
<B>Colin:</B> Well, Donner and Grackle can report about that after
 they get settled in.
</P>
<P>
<B>Kill'Dar:</B> Have you found any tunnels?
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> It's all been street fighting. We've been far too
 occupied to be sending people looking inside
	 buildings.
</P>
<P>
<B>Colin:</B> Are there any of your subcommanders that you
 haven't heard from that you're worried about.
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> Well, all of them. I was hoping that we'd have
 more progress by then. I was really hoping that
	 we'd have secured the inner keep. I'd like to
	 secure that last bit of area around the inner keep.
</P>
<P>
<B>Colin:</B> My lord, Hagal would like to find out what sort
 of information we gathered about the keep. I think
	 it's best that you and Grackle go brief him.
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> Very well. Don't lose our spot here.
</P>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>
Donner and Grackle go up to talk to Hagal. He appears to be talking
to a man wielding a sword, but wearing new armor.
</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Hagal:</B> I want you to get all of them into a secure spot and I want them to be ready to move by nightfall.
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> We have information about how the keep is
 structured. Grackle scouted it out. (To Grackle)
	 Why don't you tell him what you found?
</P>
<P>
<B>Grackle:</B> (Reports on findings)
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> I feel that most of their activities are below
 ground. The above ground forces seem to be mostly
	 orogs and warriors.
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> It sounds like there are vicious forces there. It
 sounds like a meat grinder.
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> Our main worry is...
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> The demon?
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> Well, I was mainly wondering if we could fight the
 forces that come outside to fight us.
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> I would guess that the tunnels may reach beyond the
 keep, but definitely not beyond the castle.
	 Fortunately, it sounds like what they've got isn't
	 enough to take what we've got here.
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> I'm concerned about winning the battle.
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> I wouldn't worry so much about that. From the
 reports that I've heard, we're delivering 4 or 5
	 casualties.
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> This is just an idea. I don't see us taking that
 keep and keeping the forces we need to go down the
	 river. Would you be willing to offer terms of
	 surrender?
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> I don't know.
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> Would you be willing to let them go in exchange for
 securing the rest of the city?
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> (Thinking) Hmmm...
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> Is there anything you can think of to make them
 accept surrender terms? I'd be willing to make
	 the tradeoffs in order to secure the inner keep.
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> Some archers perhaps?
</P>
<P>
<B>Grackle:</B> I don't think that the archers will make much
 difference. I think killing the demon would
		send a message.
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> XXX
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> I think a show of force would be in order. I don't
 know your full capabilities, but if you can make a
	 show of force and show them that they're not safe
	 where they are, I think they'll surrender.
</P>
	 <P>
 By the way, we've got all the spellcasters in one
	 building over there. If you've got any protective
	 abilities to use there, then I'd appreciate it.
	 All our eggs are in one basket.
	 </P>
<B>Donner:</B> We've brought back Ashlun. He's got some amazing detection abilities.
<B>Hagal:</B> He's a good man.
<B>Donner:</B> (Thinking: Good man, better items)
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>
Kill'Dar goes to the hospital area. It looks like most of the Black
Lions are in decent condition, but the area is not as densely populated
as he expected. Kill'Dar turns his healing attention to the critically
wounded among the normal Aquitanian troops. He manages to revive many
of them (nearly half).
</P>
<P>
Conversation: In particular, there is one important Colonel that would
 be good to have back up, and Kill'Dar and Fingle get him
 awake.
</P>
<P>
As Kill'Dar continues to heal wounds and cure poison, stories of
the "Noble Elf Who Heals" begins to spread among the troops.
</P>
<P>
Donner, Grackle, Travian, Colin: (Discussion about attacking the keep,
 reservations about traps)
</P>
<P>
Conversation: Kill'Dar and Fingle with soldier about stupid orcs and
 orogs.
</P>
<P>
Conversation: Apparently, there is another spellcaster outside the wall.
 He looked like a orog, but he was wearing a skull necklace. He
 apparently had three really tough orogs around him--on par with
 the Black Lion elite. We saw him cast spells on troops that got
 them on their feet ("I'm sure they were dead"). He didn't
 seem to give any orders. He raised some zombies.
</P>
<P>
Grackle goes and fetches the hospital dudes.
</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Donner:</B> Hagal suggested that we should offer those in the inner keep terms of surrender. However, until we can prove our strength to them, we need to
<P>
<B>Kill'Dar:</B> Which is more important to do XXX or YYY? 
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner</B>: Our mission is to keep reinforcements from reaching
 the city. However, we need to still come up with a
	 show of force. It would be best if we could do it
	 sooner than later. The overall plan would be to do
	 this show of force and offer them safe passage out
	 of the city in the next two hours.
</P>
<P>
<B>Kill'Dar</B>: YYY
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner</B>: Night time is their time. If they can convince them
 to leave before nightfall we might be safer in this
	 part of the city. They will be inclined to cut their
	 losses and leave.
</P>
<P>
<B>Kieran</B>: Do you have an idea for this show of force?
</P>
<P>
<B>Colin:</B> We had two ideas. The first one is to knock the
 gate of the keep. The other idea was that we take
	 out the demon that they bound into the wall.
</P>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
(Lots more discussion)
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> We could move all the Black Lions to take out the
 orcs around the inner keep.
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> What would that cost us to do?
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> We wouldn't have the city secured. At best, we
 might have them contained.
</P>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>
Donner begins dispensing orders. Eventually the plan is to use the
scroll of Elemental Summoning to summon earth elementals to break
down the gate and attack whatever inside.
</P>
<P>
While discussing the plan, Kieran begins carving a Rune of Spell
Immunity. Unfortunately, he fails to create the rune.
</P>
<P>
Kill'Dar and Grackle walk up near the trapped area. Grackle fails
to hide sufficiently and a dozen arrows fly in their direction from
the walls of the inner keep. Both are hit. Combat ensues:
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 1:</B> Kill'Dar pulls out the scroll and summons 4 Earth
 Elementals. More arrows fly towards the group,
 but none hit. Grackle turns gaseous and moves
 forward.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 2:</B> Kill'Dar sends three of the elementals towards
 the gate and orders one back towards him. As
		the first three elementals enter the trapped
		area, the entire area collapses and the elementals
		fall into the pit, and there is a giant splash of
		water. The last elemental attacks the barn next
		to Kill'Dar. Inside, he sees several horses.
		Grackle turns solid and continues forward.
</P>
		<P>
	 Several doors and shutters fly open in the houses
		along the main street. Orcs come out.
		</P>
<P>
<B>Round 3:</B> Grackle turns gaseous. Kill'Dar orders the
 elementals to climb out of the pit and attack the
		gate. The remaining elemental takes out an orc.
		Fingle Color Sprays the three orcs across the
		street. The remaining orcs bottle the party in
		the alleyway.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 4:</B> Grackle continues to move toward the keep. The
 elemental back with the party chases after the
		orcs engaging the party. The remaining three
		elementals attempt to bash the door open, but
		fail. Fingle turns gaseous and Colin steps up
		and kills the two orcs blocking the alleyway.
		The remaining orcs flee back into the building,
		with 
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 5:</B> Grackle continues to move up. The remaining
 elemental sits there while the other three
		damage the door, which begins to buckle. Colin
		moves out of the alleyway, and the rest of the
		group follows. Fingle pulls out the flying
		carpet, and the rest of the group gets on the
		carpet.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 6:</B> Grackle continues to move up. The three
 elementals continue to do more damage to the
		door, nearly breaking through. Colin focuses.
		Fingle steers the carpet towards the inner keep.
		Kieran and Donner focus.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 7:</B> Colin strings his bow. Kieran casts a Protection
 on himself. The elementals blow through the rest
		of the outer door. Grackle gets up to the alleyway
		and peers in. Fingle lowers the carpet. As the
		elementals enter, several ballista bolts are fired
		and one of the elementals is wounded.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 8:</B> Colin waits. Kieran moves towards the front of
 the carpet. The elementals appeared to be stalled.
		Fingle steers the carpet forward and the glyphs
		triggers--a lightning surge hits Kieran, who saves.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 9:</B> Kieran casts Resistance on Donner. Kill'Dar
 orders the elementals to attack the walls around.
		Donner jumps down and casts Lightning Bolt,
		killing several.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 10:</B> 
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 11:</B>
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 12:</B>
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 13:</B>
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 14:</B> Kieran waits to heal Kill'Dar. Fingle is unheld and hits the hill giant attacking Kill'Dar with a Melf's Acid Arrow. Grackel oozes through the bars and becomes solid. Donner attacks the other hill giant. Kill'Dar dispels the hold on Colin, but is dropped.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 15:</B> Colin attacks the hill giant and fells it, but missed the demon. Kieran heals Kill'Dar. Travian begins wandering. Donner attacks nearby orogs and kills one. He then tells Grackle to restrain Travian. Kill'Dar touches the demon with the ring, but fails to overcome its spell resistance. Fingle throws holy water and hits the demon for 5 pts. The demon casts mirror image again.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 16:</B> Colin dispels two images and hits the demon once. Kieran casts Dispel Magic and removes two of the images. Grackle dispels the last image, but lets Travian continue to wander off. Fingle casts Dancing Lights around the demon. The demon attacks Kill'Dar and hits.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 17:</B>
</P>Colin pounds the demon which rains down on us, burning into us, and burrowing into us. Kildar heals the damage, we flee<P></P>
<H2> Foes Fought </H2>
<P>
</P>
<P>
Base Experience: 
</P>