Session 307

# May 4th, 2023 - Assault on the Tower, Part 1

## Assault on the Tower, Part 1

The session began with the party hiding at the eastern edge of the forest line planning and preparing for their final assault on the tower. Joakim was bandaged, healed, and spent the hours resting while the remainder of the group observed the enemies movements. They left a group guarding the bridge on this side of the ravine, another outside the tower near the entryway, and had a number of watchers atop the tower. Only a single patrol went south to the forest, but west of the Coast Way.

Unsure if they could conquer the remnants of the tower, the party devised a stealthy strategy based on the skills of Watch. The Tabaxi warlock would once again sneak through the forest west around the rock outcroppings that reached the ravine, where he would use his climbing abilities to scale down the ravine. Once below, he would cross the ravine and from the other side use his earth-moving magic to dig out the stone supports for the bridge to bring it crashing down. The rest of the group would stay with their stolen draft horses and observe, if the unit guarding the bridge tried to cross and fire down upon their warlock, they could charge across the grasslands to catch them from behind. Or possibly do so preemptively as a distraction.

Once night fell the warlock began his venture heading off into the woods alone. It was not yet a full moon, but large enough to provide nice moonlight across the area. The signal pyre atop the watchtower also relit once night came. As Watch moved through the trees and brush, luck was not on his side. He was not as quiet as he hoped when he came around a large bush to find himself heading right into the enemy patrol, who spotted him immediately.

He saw their four guard drakes rushing forward, likely what had caught his scent. He quickly started climbing the nearest tree but the enemy troops already had their crossbows leveled at him and started firing, striking him multiple times. The pain and the impacts caused Watch to lose his grip and he fell to the ground hard, losing his breath. The soldiers were upon him in an instant, and like Joakim before him his hands and feet were bound and he was dragged onto the enemy's single following horse.

Not long after the rest of the party noticed the enemy patrol group crossing the grassland north back to the tower with a bound figure on the back of their horse. They had a collective moment of shock and decided to act quickly. They all were now mounted, the patrol and the groups of enemy soldiers around the tower were not, so they took the risk that they could beat the clock and all went charging across the grass toward the patrol to attempt to rescue their party-member. Carlton was still riding the horse with his newly acquired plate mail set lashed with rope to the steed. The group galloped their draft horses and did their best to control them as they engaged the enemy.

Carlton charged through the soldiers, knocking a few down and jumped from his horse to engage, using his magic to challenge all around him. Raven also jumped from his horse to *shapeshift* into a Dieyonychus to fight. The horses were not trained in battle, and those that were left alone ran from the battle and attacking guard drakes - including Carlton's horse laden with plate mail. Most of the party tried to stay on their horses, including the spellcasters, and tried to fight nearby. It was difficult to control them, but they managed.

Watch used the distraction to eventually wriggle his hands into a place where he could claw his way free from his bindings, and got some distance from the melee where he could fling his enchanted rocks. A number of which shattered the skulls of enemy soldiers. The dragonborn soldiers for their part unleashed their breath weapons and kept the party engaged while the guard drakes bit and swung their tails wildly hurting many. The enemy group of soldiers at the base of the tower responded to the conflict by starting to run across the grassland toward the battle, with their guard drakes rushing ahead out front. Watch positioned himself on the northern edge of the battle such that when the drakes got near he could use his earth magic to erupt spikes or cut pits slowing their advance.

As that enemy group neared, but still too far for Watch, they started firing their crossbows into the melee without regard for their own troops, as the guard drakes continued to charge toward them. Raven had been surrounded and focused down as the dangerous dinosaur he was, and found himself felled to the ground, reverting back to his natural state. He was able to scramble back to his feet and *shapeshift* once more, while Carlton did his best to hold the attention of as many as possible. The paladin was forced to dodge and parry due to taking many wounds.

Orsais had cast *heat metal* upon the enemy leader's splint mail, and that enemy veteran continued to try and fight Carlton through the searing pain, but ultimately fell to the bard's magic. The party felt as if they were coming out on top as they killed all eight of the soldiers in the patrol. However, they were still dealing with some guard drakes as crossbow bolts continued to rain on them and additional guard drakes rushed their direction. At least they were able to overcome most of this first group before fully engaging the next.

It was clear this was merely the first round in the final attack against the enemy troops, and that is where this short session ended. It was the night of  the eleventh day after leaving Black Landing.

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